Hero, Savior, Conquer, Villain
by Teutonic Knight 92
Summary: Knights of the Old Republic. Rachel Skirta thought she was a simple former Republic Commando turned Merc hired to fight for the Republic. What she is about to learn will shake her and the Galaxy to its very core. Revan/Carth
1. Prelude: Endar Spire

**STAR WARS**

**Hero, Savior, Conquer, Villain**

**Four Thousand Years before**

**the rise of the Galactic Empire**

**the Republic is on the verge of**

**Collapse, Darth Malak the **

**Apprentice of the Dark Lord**

**Revan, has continued his **

**Master's crusade, unleashing**

**His late Master's invincible **

**armada upon the Galaxy.**

**Crushing all resistance , **

**the Sith crusade has left**

**the Jedi Order scattered**

**and vulnerable as countless**

**Knights fall in battle while**

**more swear alliance to their**

**new Sith Master.**

**In the space above the Outer**

**Rim world of Taris, a Jedi**

**Battle Fleet engages the Sith**

**Forces in a effort to halt the**

**Sith's Galactic Domination. **

Prelude: The Endar Spire

_The bodies of unfortunate Republic commandos, Jedi and Dark Jedi littered the bridge of the Sith Flagship. Their lifeless forms were hewn about, broken and charred by the power of the Dark side of the Force, lightsaber strikes and blaster bolts. _

_On the bridge of the Sith Flagship only three persons still stood standing. One was a lone Jedi padawan dressed in her Order's traditional brown robes. The second, a Dark Jedi hooded and cloaked, his crimson blade drawn. At the front of the bridge stood the last soul, the cloaked, masked and terrifying armored figure of the Dark Lord of the Sith, the absolute ruler of the Sith Order and their new Empire._

_The Jedi and her fallen counterpart were locked in a vicious fight, sabers clashing in a shower of gold and red light filling the bridge with the tangy smell of ozone. The padawan was on the offensive, her strikes raining down on the Dark Jedi's failing defenses. With a quick lunge the padawan slipped inside the ex-Jedi's guard slicing his chest. As the Dark Jedi crumbled now dead the young Jedi padawan focused on the imposing form of the Sith's Supreme leader._

Rachel Skirta awoke startled as the ship she was on shook terribly. Shaking away her strange dream she franticly looked around before suddenly remembered where she was; the Republic Cruiser Endar Spire. The Republic Cruiser was a part of a joint Jedi/Republic task force countering attacking against the Sith occupied planet of Taris.

The Endar Spire shook again, from an anti-ship turbolaser blast she realized with as a burst of adrenaline flooded her system. Rolling out of her bunk she quickly tied her shoulder length blonde hair into a ponytail and began pulling out her footlocker before strapping on her armor. It was a cut down design similar to Mandalorian scout armor, though without a helmet and integrated HUD system. Just as she finished lacing up her boots the door slid open reveling a blonde man in a Republic uniform with an ensign's insignia on his collar holding a blaster pistol.

"Whoa hold on there," the ensign said as Rachel whirled around on him bringing her BastTech E-3c to bear. The carbine itself was a cut-down version of the E-3 blaster rifle that was the mainstay of the Sith Army. The E-3c model was favored by the Sith Marines Corps for its compact size, accuracy and collapsible stock.

Recognizing him as one of the Endar Spire's officers she finished gathering her gear, sliding a six-inch stiletto dagger made of pure Mandalorian Iron into a hidden sheath in her boot.

Clearing his throat the officer said, "I'm Tra- Ensign Trask Ulgo," he corrected straightening his back and attempting to sound like an officer, "Come on lets go."

The pair quickly moved out the room and down the hallway nearly falling over as the ship was rocked by another cannon shot, "The Endar Spire is under attack from a Sith-" though Trask trailed off as Rachel glared at him with a blank look that said, 'tell me something I don't know.'

"Ahh… Most of the crew already off the ship we don't know if Bastila made it off yet. We have to hurry cus in a few minutes this ship will be crawling with Sith. I've hooked up with a group of Marines and were going to try to make to the Bridge," Trask finished summing up the situation.

"Bastila," Rachel asked searching her memory, "The Jedi Battle Meditation Brat… that Bastila?"

"Yes that Bastila… her battle meditation is key to the whole Republic war effort." Trask finished hotly

"Alright then let's move before the Sith find us or worse blast the ship to space dust," Rachel said nonchalantly, hoisting her carbine.

Rounding the corner they came face to face with three young looking Republic Marines in bloodied red-gold fatigues, "Ensign were glad yo-," the Corporal started to say but was cut off as his head disappeared in a cloud of red mist as a blaster-bolt struck it dead center.

The Republic Marines were well trained dropping to their knees and shouldering their rifles to return fire. However it still wasn't enough to avoid similar fates as they were hit by a hail of ruby red blasters and crumbled like a sacks of charred meat.

Spinning to face the Marines' killers Rachel shouldered her blaster. Time seemed to slow down as she drew a bead on the silver armored marines and fired three short bursts catching three of the Sith Marines in the chest dropping them as Trask shot the fourth with his pistol.

"Wow nice shot er… shots," Trask exclaimed punching his hand in the air, "That'll teach those Sith."

Rolling her eyes at the ensign's antics she sighed, "Come on let's get moving," and if to emphasize her point the ship shook again. If anything the ensign's antics only showed his greenness and it was a part of the reason the Republic was losing… too many green officers and soldiers.

Arriving at the bridge Rachel armed a frag grenade she had looted from one of the dead Marines nodding to Trask she said, "Open it."

Typing his access code into the security pad the doors slid open and the grenade flew into the room. A few seconds ticked by before it exploded taking nearly a whole squad of Sith troopers with it. The few marines that the grenade hadn't killed, Rachel and Trask finished off with short bursts from their weapons.

"_Ensign report, Ensign Ulgo are you there,_" a voice said from Trask's comlink.

"Aye sir," the ensign answered holding the comlink up to his lips, "we just made it to the bridge, Ms. Skirta is with me sir."

"_Good man, things are getting ugly here, Bastila already made to the escape pod and left. The Sith are close to figuring it out so we don't have much time. I want you two to double time it to the escape pods, you're the only ones left, Onasi out_."

Turning to explain, "That was Captain Carth Onasi he's a decorated hero of the Mandalorian War and has seen more combat than all the Endar's Spire's crew put together. If he says thing are bad then they're really bad."

Grimacing Rachel said, "So let's get the heck out here."

As they opened the starboard exit to the bridge they saw a Dark Jedi and Jedi Knight locked in a saber duel. The two Jedi danced around each other nearly too fast to see. Their saber flashed like burst of lightening as they struck.

Rachel grimaced again, Jedi were pretty low on her list of favorite people, but even she had to admit they could use a Jedi to escape. Nonetheless raising her carbine Rachel was about to try to shoot the Sith when Trask jerked the barrel out of the line.

Glaring at him, "Blasters won't do any good and were likely to just get in the way," he defended, but before she could respond the Dark Jedi threw the orthodox Jedi into the bulkhead with a power push of Force energy.

The Jedi glanced up and then over at Rachel and Trask. The woman smiled through bloodstained lips and an aura of peace settled over her face. Rachel realized half a second too late what the Jedi had planned as she slammed her saber into a main relay juncture. As the saber hit the junction the power relay detonated.

Swearing underneath her breath she ran up to the Jedi and checked the Knight's pulse, finding nothing she swore again. Even if she had found a pulse she would have doubted the woman would have lived long. The Jedi's flesh was charred and burnt and Rachel wasn't eave sure she would have wanted to live if she had survived.

"Frack, she could have been useful," Trask said regretfully.

Nodding she made her way around the corner and a blast door opened and there stood another Dark Jedi, with a lightsaber brandished. Pulling out a virbo-sword, a weapon made to resist a lightsaber, Trask yelled, "Get to the escape pod I'll hold him off."

With that the foolish Republic Officer rushed into the chamber and locked the blast door behind him, "Trask!" Rachel shouted more confused than anything else. Why would he do that? Why would he sacrifice himself for her? Together they would have had a better chance of overwhelming the Dark Jedi and escaping.

Then hearing a scream and seeing the blood red tip of a light saber plunge through the blast door she turned and ran to the ship's starboard section knowing that with only a blaster and a knife she didn't stand much of a chance against a Jedi turned to the Dark side of the Force.

"_This is Carth Onasi on your personal communicator, what happened I lost Ensign Trask's bio-sign_," the Captain's voice came over the comm.

"Trask's dead," she answered monotone her hands clenched at her sides, she hadn't even liked the man but she wouldn't have wanted him to die.

"_Shavit, alright well one problem at a time there is a squad and a half of Sith of the other side of the door trying to make their way into the escape pod bay. You can't take them all on by yourself so you'll have to get clever. Here's the security codes for the door, Onasi out_."

Groaning she looked around the room noticing a computer terminal and a battle droid the Sith had ionized and left to rust. Knowing her computer skills were terrible she decided to have a look at the droid. After all she was a fairly decent mechanic… she paused her brow furrowing. At least she thought she was.

Looking over the droid she removed the restraining bolt and initiated a cold reboot. Realizing its IFF systems were destroyed a cold idea formed in her head. She removed the power flow regulator from the repeating rifle so that when fired its weapon it wouldn't stop until the power cells died.

Setting the activation clock at five seconds she hit the power button, opened the door and leapt behind a box. This was gonna be messy.

The Battle Droid upon activation immediately sought out the nearest life forms to terminate. Lifting its heavy repeating blaster rifle it open up on the startled Sith marines, cutting them down in a hail of ruby red blaster bolts. The droid continued to pump energy into the bodies so when its gun finally fell silent the Sith Marines were quite literally all over the place.

Standing up Rachel shot the droid twice in the back of the head then a few more times for good measure. Feeling a bit queasy as she walked through the gore that had once been men she opened the door and found the Captain staring back at her wide eyed.

"Force, woman what did you do," he nearly screamed as he saw the bloody mess the droid had made, "never mind that," he said standing up. "We can't expect the Sith to be patient much longer. Get in the pod!"

When they were both inside and belted in Carth hit the launch key propelling them away from the ship and into the atmosphere of Taris.

XXX

Onboard the Sith Flagship _Leviathan_ Darth Malak Dark Lord of the Sith stood staring at the Republic Cruiser that drifted dead in space before him. Turning to Admiral Karath he inquired ominously in his deep mechanical voice, "Well Admiral, has Bastila been captured yet?"

"N-n-no my lord," the Sith Admiral said nervously hands clasped behind his back to keep from shaking. "Our troops aboard the Endar Spire have ceased communication and are most likely dead, do you wish me to deploy more?"

The current Dark Lord of the Sith was a terrifying sight with his muscular physique, chalky white skin, piercing sulfur and blood shot eyes and strange tattoos that covered his bald head. Plus the fact that he could kill with a thought didn't make the Sith Lord any more pleasant to be around.

Stretching out with the Force Malak bombarded the ship with probes of Dark side energy. After several seconds Malak opened his eyes and growled, "No Admiral she is gone, taken an escape pod to the planet."

Stroking his large metal prosthesis that covered his jaw or rather where his jaw would have been had he not lost it to a Mandalorian's blade he said, "Have the Fleet quarantine Taris, nothing gets off the system and inform the garrison to deploy its troops to search for Bastila," then turning menacingly towards the Admiral and he threatened ominously, "and I want her alive Karath".

"Yes, my lord," the admiral bowed deeply then promptly curried off to carry out his orders.

Turning back the Dark Lord eyed the black venomously clenching his hand at the city below, "You can run from me any longer Bastila. I have you know"

XXX

**Excerpt from Carvi Martian's book, "Twilight of the First Republic"**

**Battle of Taris and the Jedi Bastila **

_First of all the battle of Taris was more like the ambush of Taris. Republic Intel had greatly miscalculated in preparation for this assualt. The strike force had expected to come out of light speed with only a few small patrol frigates to oppose them and the Taris shipyards open for a neat hit-and-fade attack. Instead they found themselves in an ambush eerily similar to the trap the Republic laid for the Dark Lord Revan several months back. _

_Outnumbered nearly four-to-one, surrounded by superior ships and with no avenue of retreat the Republic force was cut to bloody ribbons. Fortunately for the Republic, Jedi Bastila managed to get to an escape pod and to the surface of Taris._

_Many people ask and wonder, "If Bastila's battle mediation was so powerful why didn't she use it to save the fleet at Taris?" The answer is that battle meditation is a force multiplier not a trump card. What battle meditation did was alter the odds in your favor, enhance the natural feelings each soldier, sailor or marine has and improve their coordination._

_For Bastila's allies this instilled greater morale in battle. Using the Force, one could coordinate entire fleets of ships allowing them to perform at maximum efficiency, acting as one to counter every enemy move quickly and effectively. For her enemies battle meditation drained their morale. It meant that every mistake they made was amplified every hesitation became a costly delay._

_These effects made Battle Meditation a powerful tool but it also had drawbacks. First, was the Force user had to focus so much of their energy into the meditation it left them defenseless. Secondly, the Force user had to have time to prepare and couldn't be called upon at a moment's notice. Lastly the effects of battle meditation against her opponents became negligible when facing an extraordinarily powerful Force user like Revan or Malak._

_Another comment is that while Bastila was hailed by the Republic's propaganda ministry as the Republic's secret weapon and the only thing standing between the Sith and the conquest of the galaxy; it wasn't quite true. Bastila was only one person and while her skills could help change the outcome of a single battle she couldn't be everywhere at once. _

_Her most useful role was in a fire brigade, a crack unit that was used to prop up sections of the front that were under risk of collapse. While it is true that Bastila's assistance helped delay the fall of the Republic, Republic Central Command had no delusions that she alone could win the war for them._


	2. Chapter 1: Taris Arrival

**STAR WARS**

Chapter 1: Taris Arrival

_The padawan, Bastila Shan, now joined by a pair of Jedi Knights faced down the Dark Lord who had still yet to acknowledge their presence. Then slowly the Dark Lord of the Sith turned to face the impetuous Jedi who dared stood against the Sith Lord. The Dark Lord's face was covered by a blood red mask with black stripes, the infamous Mask of Mandalore, a sight that had terrorized the Galaxy long before this Lord's birth._

_Now fully facing them the Sith reached for a pair of lightsabers that hung on her belt. Among the sabers the hung there were those taken from Jedi Council members the Sith Lord had personally slain: Master Sunrider, Master Polo, and Master Nataran._

_Gathering her courage the Padawan brandished her golden saber and shouted, "You cannot win Revan!" _

_Revan… it was a name known throughout the Galaxy. It is strange that a single name, a five letter word can hold so much meaning: Heart of the Force, Renegade Jedi, Hero of the Rim, Bane of the Mandalorians, Mandalore the Great, Traitorous General, Fallen Knight, Self-proclaimed Sith, Butcher of the Republic, Killer of Jedi. _

_Hero…Savior…Conqueror…Villain. _

_Darth Revan made no reply expect for activating her pair of sabers; each producing an ominous blood shine blade._

_The two Jedi Knights charged the Sith intent on ending the evil that stood before them. They came in from different angles each with radically different styles attempting to unbalance the more powerful Sith Lord. Revan stayed planted; blades held pointed at the ground till the last second when the Dark Lord reacted stepping back out of the way of the Jedi sabers, ducking and swerving avoiding the deadly beams of light. _

_Then as the Knights still in vain attempted to land a blow, the Sith Lord struck so swift that it was as a blur to the naked eye. The crimson blade effortlessly opened one of the knights like a ration bar, cleaving him in two._

_The second Knight barely had enough time to realized what had happened before the Dark Lord caught the Jedi in a powerful Force Grip lifting the helpless Knight off the ground. Revan clenched her fist snapping his spinal column at the base of the skull._

_As the body hit the ground with a thump the padawan lifted her saber in defense, for what little it was worth against such power. Then Revan did something unexpected; the Dark Lord shut down and returned her sabers to her belt. _

_"Bastila we need not fight," the specter of death spoke softly making a fist, "join me and we can end this destructive conflict, with your battle meditation and my martial skill this war can be over in weeks. Think of the lives you will save."_

_"I will not help you conquer the galaxy just so you can oppress it… Dark Lord," Bastila yelled._

_"Then you doom yourself to an existence as a drone," Revan paused dramatically, "a slave of the Jedi Council. Join me and you can take your rightful place among the Sith. Think carefully Bastila… many would kill for such an honor."_

_"I am not a slave of-"Bastila started angered that this traitor would say such a thing._

_"Oh but you are Bastila," Revan interrupted sternly, "you who wields such great power, such great ability but the council holds you back, makes you bow, call them 'master' all the while using your abilities to further their own ambitions." The Dark Lord shook her head, "You're a slave Bastila... nothing but a slave,"_

_Bastila stood still neither attacking nor accepting the Dark Lord's offer, she didn't want to believe Revan but her words made sense. In fact it made a little too much sense. Bastila felt Revan's words tear at her mind tempting her with visions of dark power threatening her very soul. _

_"So Bastila what do wa-" The Sith began anew but stopped suddenly and twirled around just in time to see twin bolts of green energy streaking towards the bridge. Time seemed to slow as the two bolts of highly destructive energy screamed through the void towards the bridge of the Flagship. _

_Then softly two words escaped Revan's lips not as a scream of hate, a burst of rage, a curse, but as a sad question, "Malak...why?"_

XXX

Carth Onasi the former Captain of the Endar Spire sat in a hard metal chair in an abandoned apartment in the Upper City of the Sith infested world of Taris. Across from him tossing and turning in her sleep was the only member of his ship to survive the attack.

When they had crashed she had been knocked unconscious and bleeding profusely from a wound on her head. He had managed to find this apartment and a doctor to help her. Now she was asleep her head wrapped up in a kolto bandage.

As he was taking care of her it was when he first noticed the Mandalorian tattoos on her biceps and his paranoia took over. After all, the Republic had just fought a war with the Mandalorians and the remnants of their empire swore featly Revan and made up the bulk of her praetorian guard, the Black Hand.

Now as he sat over her he pulled out his data pad, brought up 'crew manifest' and typed in 'Rachel Skirta.' Once her personal file was up he began to read, she had be born on Concord Dawn, a Mandalorian world; her parents had died when she was six and she was found by Charles Norman a trader who adopted her and brought her back to Coruscant and raised her with his wife.

At seventeen she enlisted in the Republic Army during the Mandalorian wars and eventually was selected to join the elite Republic Commandos. She fought on Iridonia, Exers IV, the hellhole that was Dxun and a host of other battles eventually earning the Soldier's cross for her heroisms at Dxun.

After the war she left the Army holding the rank of Staff Sergeant and became a bounty hunter durning the brief interim between the Mandalorian War and the start of this one. Carth curled his lip in disgust at her choice of jobs.

In his mind he couldn't see why someone would leave an honorable career in the Military to become a bounty hunter. When the war started up again she had attempted to stay out of it until for some reason she accepted a contract from the Jedi.

Confused as why the Jedi would want anything to do with a lowly bounty hunter he attempted to find anything that would shed a clue on the reason, but either he couldn't find it or it was classified above his clearance level. Settling on the cautious side he made a cup of caffa then sat back down cradling his mug, his blaster pistol out and lying on his lap.

XXX

Groaning Rachel grasped her head and sat up slowly in her bed. As she did she carefully opened her eyes, "Ahh my head," she whimpered and let out a stream of curse that would have made a hutt blush.

"Hey take it easy you took quite a bump on the head," a strong voice said gruffly, "Names Carth Onasi… I a… was captain of the Spire.

Swiping at him with her arm she growled out, "Not so loud."

Then her eyes snapped open as she felt the chilly air on her skin, her naked skin. Gathering up her blankets around her to protect her modesty she glared at the man. If looks could kill there would be nothing left of Carth Onasi.

"Where… the… hell… are… my…. clothes… Captain," she said through gritted teeth.

Blushing Carth stammered, "Well um you see when we crashed," he hurriedly explained, "You hit your head and were bleeding. Your clothes got drenched so I threw them out."

"My armor," she shrieked; that armor was the only thing she had left of her birth parents and if he threw it out, Captain or not, naked or not she would kill him right there.

"No that was easily cleaned I just had to hose it down, uhmm here," reaching around he grabbed a bag and titled it so she could see it was filled with clothes, "There all used, though I washed them as well as I could."

Snatching the bag from him she sighed, "Sorry I'm just out of my just out of my element," she apologized getting her first good look at him. His face was handsome in a rugged way and she decided she liked the whiskers that were now shadowing the man's face. His forehead was nearly always creased in tension, or concentration, but right now he was giving her a soft encouraging smile and the lines were gone. It occurred to her that she hadn't even thanked him for saving her life.

"Thanks for saving my life. It's just I like to get to know a man before he see me naked," she smiled offering up her sweetest smile as he laughed at her comment.

Standing up clutching the sheets around her as she headed towards the small refresher room, "Be right back," she promised with a suggestive wink before she cracked up and let out a little laugh.

Five minutes later Rachel emerged from the refresher dressed in a pair of dark trousers and a tank top that prominently displayed her Mandalorian tattoos. Walking over she grabbed a cup of caffa and sat next to Carth, "So what's going on since I've been out?"

Shifting in his chair Carth sighed, "Taris as you probably know has been under Sith Occupation for close to seven months though it's anything from being a loyal planet."

Rachel had a sad look on her face then seeing Carth's question forming, "Yeah I been here before the Upper City isn't that bad, but the lower you go the worse it gets and everything here is legal, for a price, slavery, extortion, prostitution, anything, " she finished disgusted.

"Ok back to more important things," Carth said with the weight in his voice that came from being a Naval Captain, "There is a chance that Bastila is on Taris and alive so we need to find her."

At that Rachel's jaw dropped, "….Yeah… right. You expect us to find one person on a planet of about a trillion souls. Even if we can avoid the Sith who, by the way, are going put all hands on deck to get her where would we even start?"

Grimacing Carth had to know just as well it would be nigh impossible to find Bastila, but also knowing that he had to try, "Listen Rachel, Bastila is more important to the Republic war effort than most people realize-"

"Cause of her battle meditation thing," she interrupted, rapping her finger on her cup.

"Yes that battle meditation thing, through the Force Bastila can inspire her allies and sap the will of her foes, she is one of the main reasons the Republic's still in this war. She also is the one who killed Darth Revan," Carth said raising his glass of caffa in a silent toast.

"Yeah I heard she killed Revan, though I never really could believe it. I mean come on Revan killed Mandalore only to be done in by a stuck up Jedi Princess, I guess the Force does have a sense of irony," she finished with a laugh.

Carth smiled even though it seemed a little forced, "So you're the bounty hunter where do we start?"

"The local Cantina is all ways a good place to start," she smirked as she strapped her side-arm to her leg

XXX

As far as Cantina's went this one, Rachel decided, wasn't that bad she mused as she sat at the bar drinking her beverage. The drink and food actually seemed somewhat edible; the atmosphere was not choked with smoke and the establishment was fairly clean, no not too bad at all, considering the places she had been.

The reason they were here was three-fold, one was find any information regarding the Republic escape pods that crashed in the Lower City. Two, was to find some information that could get them past the security checkpoint the Sith had set up that prevented anyone from traveling to the Lower city without their express permission. Three, was too sure up their finances.

Between them they only had about six hundred credits not nearly enough for this kind of operation. The most frustrating part was that she had several thousand credits of spending money in a separate account, but if she drew from it, it would probably alert Republic Intelligence she was alive and on Taris, which in turn might alert Sith Intel or worse the Black Hand.

Shivering slightly, she had just barely escaped the obsidian armored killers, the Black Hand, a few months ago and it was not something she wanted to repeat. Taking a deep sip of her drinkshe gave a barely perceivable nod to Carth who was at the Pazzak table.

The man was quite the card shark, and turned back to her 'date,' a low ranking Sith Infantry Officer. She was currently trying to get whatever information she could out of him, by getting him drunk as possible. It was the oldest trick in the book, but that just meant it was tried and true.

"Sooo," the drunken soldier, Yun, she thought was his name drawled, "A couple of the junior officers are having a party tonight and I was…" he paused to hiccup, "do you want to come."

"No I…" she started then suddenly a though hit her, a Sith party for Sith Officers, maybe she could swipe a pair of uniforms for her and Carth. The more she thought about it the more it would work, with the Sith full body armor and face concealing helmet and the fact that the guards at the check point didn't seem too attentive… it just could work.

"Where is it," she quickly changed gears.

If the officer noticed her sudden turnabout he didn't say anything, "2130 at the North Apartments section B, room 131."

Marking the time and place down on her data pad, offered the man her best smile as he got up and left having to report for duty soon. She carefully maintained the smile until she was sure he left then let it fall as she quickly downed the rest of her drink in a single gulp.

"So learn anything interesting," Carth said sitting down next to her glaring at her with his piercing brown eyes.

One thing she had learned about the Captain was he could be a bit paranoid, not all that surprising considering that his mentor Saul Karath was now head of Malak's personal fleet and that the Admiral had devastated Carth's homeworld, which was also his own. Rachel felt there was more to it but she wasn't about to ask, not yet.

Rachel lifted her arms up to rest them on the bar, "Yes actually I did Carth," she said smirking as ordered another scotch, "I'm going to a party tonight."

She nearly lost it as she watched his face went from confused to shocked to downright angry "You what…" he nearly shouted, "I can't believe you were supposed to be trying to find information on Bast…"

Then realizing they were in a very public place on a Sith controlled planet and realizing that shouting the name of the person on the top of the Sith's Most Wanted list wasn't a very good idea he calmed down… a bit, "We're supposed to be looking for her, not going to parties," he hissed.

"Easy flyboy," Rachel said with a placating gesture.

Once Carth was a little more relaxed Rachel continued, "The first order of business is to get to the lower city, right."

"Of course."

"And to do that were going to need to do is get by the security checkpoint," she continued leading him on.

"Rachel," he groaned, "get on with it."

"My plan is arrive at the party when its almost over claim I forgot what time it was then wait for a chance to swipe a few uniforms-"

"What makes you think you'll get that chance," he inquired hotly.

Raising an eyebrow she smirked, "Have you ever tried Tarisian Ale?"

Carth at least at the good grace to blush, "Yeah, on my first Tour of Duty… strong stuff," he finally added.

"A couple of fresh officers on their first tour, it'll be easy," she finished with a snap of her fingers.

XXX

Rachel and Carth stood outside apartment 131 she was dressed in a short sleeve shirt and tight pants the clung to her in all the right ways.

"Alright we're here," Carth ground out is hand resting on his gun belt, he didn't like it but he was smart enough to realize that this was their best shot. Then he turned and clapped her on the shoulder, "Good luck Rachel," he said giving her his most encouraging smile.

Nearly three hours later Rachel stormed out of the apartment cursing, clutching a large bag and her head.

"Rachel you alright," Carth asked rushing up to her.

"No I'm not 'alright," she growled, "would you be all right if you spent the last three hours being groped by a butt-ugly Sith Officer."

Chuckling he amended, "I guess not," then in a more serious tone, "Did you get the uniforms?"

Rachel wordlessly opened the bag revealing two gleaming suits of Sith Infantry Armor with 2nd Lieutenant insignia emblazoned on their shoulders on them. The fact that the suits were all encompassing meant that unlike the uniform of Republic Soldiers you wouldn't be able to tell who was wearing the suit until you took the helmet off.

"I tried to find ones that were about our size," she shrugged.

Carth nodded in approval and understanding. The pair then donned the Sith Armor making sure that they were completely covered and unrecognizable. Once ready they made their way out of the apartment complex and onto the street.

They walked for several minutes in silence before Rachel stooped realizing that Carth wasn't beside her. Franticly she looked around nearly sighing as she saw him standing a few meters behind her simply staring into the sky.

"Carth," she hissed very aware that they were standing on a public street occupied by pedestrians and even an odd Sith patrol, "Come on."

Then noticing a man staring at them she said with as much malice in her voice as possible, "You have a problem citizen."

The man paled and stammered, "no-no ahh nothing Sir... er or maam …I'll be going now," then took off down the street as fast as his legs could carry him.

Shaking his head Carth muttered, "Sorry."

The pair continued to walk down the road when Rachel interrupted, "So what were you looking at?"

"The Leviathan," he said his voice full of rage as his hands trembled slightly.

_Leviathan_, the word echoed in Rachel's brain… the _Leviathan_, "Admiral Karath's flagship…The Sith Flagship?" she said questioningly looking up in the sky to see if she could see the Sith ship.

"That's the one and it's gone now," he added as he saw her looking for it.

"So you got some kinda personal grudge against Karath," she inquired.

"He's a traitor, a defector and a Sith," Carth hissed angrily as if that was all, Rachel didn't buy it for a second.

Nudging him to look at the Sith Patrol that just passed them, "So are they, but I don't see you freaking out. I'm sorry Carth it just seemed more personal than that."

Carth was quiet for so long Rachel thought he wasn't going to answer, "Telos," came is quiet and sad reply, "I had a wife and son on Telos."

In the opening days of the war Telos had been a Republic fortress world on the Outer-Rim and one of the few that had escaped the scars of the Mandalorian Wars. However as a show of strength to the Republic and as a test of loyalty for the recently defected Admiral Saul Karath, Malak ordered the devastation of Telos, an order which Karath followed by destroying every sign of civilization on the world.

It had been just the first of many atrocities committed by Darth Malak and the Sith under his command, furthering the difference between Malak and his Master. Revan unlike Malak never destroyed more than was necessary. The former Dark Lord was concerned about the 'hearts and mind' of the galactic populace.

After all why destroy worlds when you could bring the over to your side willingly? Revan had been a charismatic figure who had convinced nearly the entire Republic Outer Rim Fleet to defect to the Sith as well as the Outer Rim worlds. Revan's Sith represented an alternate form of government separate to the rising corruption in the Republic.

Ironically Malak had done far more damage to the Sith then the Republic ever had. His brutal methods and sadistic tendencies had turned allies wary, edged those who had been unsure about their allegiance to the Republic and vindicated their enemies' warnings.

Feeling her chest tighten Rachel opened her mouth to tell him how sorry she was but closed it when she realized how meaningless such words would be and that they were approaching the security check point for the elevator.

The check point consisted of four Sith trooper two of which were leaning up against the wall while the other two were sitting at a table playing cards. Apparently the Sith didn't think that manning the elevator checkpoint the Upper City was a dangerous position.

Either that or these Outer Rim garrisons were manned by second and third-rate troopers while all the rest were at the front in the Mid and Inner-Rim. As they drew closer one of the Sith soldiers with a corporal's insignia etched on his armor jumped to his feet calling the others to attention.

"Sirs, How may I help you," the Sith asked saluting.

"Unlock the elevator corporal," Carth said his gruff no-nonsense 'officer voice' after returning the salute.

"Yes sir," the corporal answered and quickly ordered one of his men to unlock the elevator, "Be careful those biker gangs will take a shot any one even us. Oh and sir, Captain Marshall has established his HQ by the elevator to the Under City just head left until to reach the end of the walkway."

"Thank you Corporal," Carth said dismissively as he and Rachel entered the elevator.

The short three minute elevator ride to the lower city was uneventful. Once arriving the pair quickly made their way off the elevator. As the rounded the corner they walked in on a gang dispute. Two handfuls of biker thugs were going at it with one another with virbo blades, regular daggers and heavy pieces of pipe.

Blades slashed and blood flew and as the last members of the rival gang died the leader of the survivors looked up and saw Carth and Rachel standing at the elevator exit, "Sith," the leader's eyes narrowed dangerously and he growled in barely understandable basic, "You're kind aren't welcome here. Get'em boys!"

"Firefek," Rachel swore as she hoisted her carbine and Carth drew his twin blaster pistols. Rachel shot two of the charging bikers dead while the second one closed the distance and took a swipe at her with his vibro-sword. The biker's sword swung at her chest and Rachel got her carbine up to block the blow though it knocked the weapon from her hands.

Stepping back to give herself space Rachel withdrew the dagger she had hidden in her boot and held it defensively in a reverse grip daring the biker to attack her. She knew that her best chance was to dodge or block his strike then quickly get under his guard.

The gang member clumsily swung his sword just as Rachel hoped. Dodging the strike she used her free arm to grasp the biker arm pushing the blade farther away from her body and brought the her dagger up hard against his throat. The surprise alien fell to the ground uselessly grabbing the bloody gash at his neck.

Spinning around she saw Carth grappling with another alien. Her seasoned eye saw Carth was slowly losing the fight as the alien's dagger was inch by inch growing closer to Carth's chest. Cocking her arm she threw her own weapon sending it sailing across the hallway imbedding itself in the alien's chest.

Breathing heavily Carth pushed the dead body off him and removed Rachel's knife from the biker handing it back to her. Removing his helmet he said, "Thanks for saving my life… beautiful."

Rachel cleaned her knife then slid it back into her boot, "No proble-" then something his last words hit her and she glanced up to stare him right in the eyes. Slowly an odd smirk played over her face, "Carth… are you flirting with me."

Blushing, he coughed probably not expecting to be called on it, "Um yeah I guess I'm."

Her smirk growing, "I like it," she added.

A small smile touched his lips, "What saving my life or flirting."

"A little of both," she said saucily.

The pair shared a moment of silence before Carth replaced his helmet, "I think we should get moving we need to find Bastila."

The walk to the Sith Checkpoint was largely uneventful. The worst they had to endure was the frightful and sometimes hateful glares of the Lower City inhabitants. The Checkpoint itself was defended by two E-web automated turrets. There also was a platoon of Sith troopers fully armed and geared up who had just stacked into the elevator headed for the Under City.

"Halt," shouted one of the sentries as Carth and Rachel approached the checkpoint.

"Ah sirs… joining up with a patrol," the sentry, a sergeant by the markings on his armor, asked lazily.

"Yes, Sergeant," Rachel said thinking quick on her feet, "We're replacements for a unit that lost is officers."

"Glad I'm not you two," the sergeant said laughing along with the rest of the four man sentry team, "From what I heard it's a nightmare down there like something right out of a horror holo."

"Alright that sounds… nice," Carth added tentatively taking a step towards the elevator.

Quickly blocking him the sergeant held out his hand, "Whoa, whoa sir let me see your security clearance."

"Security Clearance," Rachel asked in what she hoped wasn't a surprised tone, if the sergeant thought that this was something they should know he might get curious and comm his commanders. If that happened then they might realize that Carth and Rachel were imposters, then things would get hairy.

But to their relief the sergeant merely sighed in disgust, "You left your papers back at the base."

The sergeant then muttered something under his breath in another language then said out loud, "Well not two just march right back up to your base and get your papers."

"Hey can't-" Carth protested.

"No I can't," the sergeant said vehemently, "No one goes to that vermin infested Under City without clearance, those are the orders of the Governor," finishing with a shudder.

It was a well-known fact that when the Sith conquered a world a Dark Jedi was installed as the planet's governor until it was deemed 'properly reeducated' and a new civilian government loyal to the Sith could be installed.

Placing a hand on Carth's shoulder Rachel said, "Come on lets go get those papers."

Once they were out of range of the checkpoint and safely around the corner Carth ripped off his helmet, "Shavit, what the hell are we supposed to do now?"

Removing her own helmet and letting her frustration surface she yelled, "Your Captain Republic here why don't you think of something for a change!"

Wincing as Carth looked around to see if anyone had heard her outburst, "Rachel quiet."

Her face reddened in annoyance at her unprofessionalism as she realized she could have just blown their cover, "Sorry," she muttered.

"So now what there's no way we can forge the security papers," Carth said leaning up against the wall.

The pair stood there quietly both their minds racing for an answer when Rachel stomach rumbled causing her to blush for the second time in ten minutes and Carth to break out in an infectious laughter which caused Rachel to laugh as well.

Once the laughter calmed down Carth jerked his thumb over his shoulder, "I think there was a cantina back that'a'way."

Going wide-eyed and dramatically placing her hands on her stomach she groaned, "Good 'cause I'm starving."

"Well let's take off these giant silver bull-eyes," Carth ordered, "I'd hate to get shot on the way to dinner."

Rachel snickered at that, "Oh yes that would just be a terrible ending to the perfect day... okay turn around.

"Pardon?"

"I'm going to change," she said removing her scout armor from her bag and as she began to remove pieces of the Sith Armor.

"Oh."

The pair quickly and quietly changed, Carth into his orange jacket and black pants and his pistol holstered menacingly on his hips. Rachel changed into her version of Mandalorian Scout Armor. Unlike other Mandalorian Armor at the time which provided fully body protection, the Scout armor consisted of Mandalorian Iron plates covering the chest, back, upper arms and legs.

The scout armor was far lighter and granted a greater freedom of motion then its assault cousins. However her slightly modified version forwent the arm armor so that she could display her Mandalorian clan tattoos, something she had found discouraged a fight even more than the armor itself.

As they came to the Cantina door which had the large sign with the imprinted words "Javyar's Cantina" they ran into a large burly looking Rodian bouncer.

"Welcome to Javyar's, leave problems at door… no fights… I crack heads," the bouncer said in thick huttese.

"Alright," Rachel said as her and Carth entered the building.

Immediately on entrance their sense were assaulted by the atmosphere of the cantina. The scent of smoke and unwashed bodies hung heavy in the air of the dingy cantina. Various beings of various species sat around getting intoxicated or eating. There were also several dancers mostly scantily clad humans and Twi'leks females dancing nearly obscenely on the dance stage.

However Rachel's attention was drawn to a brewing confrontation between a short man dressed in a blue overcoat that looked like it concealed some kind of body armor and wearing what looked like a sun cap and speeder goggles. Around him were a bunch of alien biker thugs gang members jeering and scorn the diminutive man. The man looked familiar but she just couldn't place his face.

"Go away," the short man said him a bored tone. However something about the man's tone set her senses on edge.

"Hey you no talk like that we just wanted to talk to big bad bounty hunter Calo Nord," the Alien said.

Calo Nord? Rachel turned back to study the man's features and sure enough the name and face clicked. Calo Nord was one of the most ruthless bounty hunters there was he always killed his bounty no matter what. Rumors had said that as a child he was sold as a slave and at sixteen he killed his master them hunted down a killed his parents for selling him. It was said that he had a body count to rival that of Darth Revan… an exaggeration to be sure, but still.

"Hey this can't be Calo Nord," one of the other alien's said mockingly, "He's supposed to be tough but this guy's just a runt."

"One," the mass murdering bounty hunter counted.

"One?" the first alien laughed, "What you trying to be funny."

"Yeah," the second alien retorted puffing out his chest and trying to look tough, "Do you know who we are funny guy, we're the Black Vulkars so you better not try anything funny with us."

"Two."

"Me no understand," the first alien questioned scratching his antenna "One? Two? Why he count? Is he trying to count how many of us are against him?"

"Well," second alien yelled, "There are three of us against one of you, what do you say against those odds, funny guy. Well? You got something to say."

"Three," and Calo Nord exploded into action, quick-drawing his two heavy blaster pistols and firing four shots. The first two bolts simultaneously killed the two Vulkars that had been flanking the first and before the surviving gang member could even draw a weapon Calo Nord shifted and put two more bolts in the last alien's head.

No doubt shocked by the brutal display Carth dropped his hands to his blasters but Rachel reached out and grabbed his arm, "It's the way things work down here Carth, shhh"

As if to futher her point most of the other patrons didn't even blink and simply continued their business avoiding the fresh corpses until one of the bars hired muscle came by to clean up. Carth looked uneasy but decided to follow Rachel's example as she had spent more time in the Galaxy's dregs than he. Making their way over to the bar they sat down at an empty stool. Rachel rested elbows on the table propping her arms up so the mnythosuars skull, the symbol of the Mandalorian clans, tattooed on her biceps was prominently displayed.

As the bartender came over he gulped at the sight of the tattoo. The sight of a Mandalorian was always fear inspiring given the destruction they unleashed on the Galaxy in the Mandalorian Wars. That fact that most of their race now served Revan as her praetorian guard and private death commandos did nothing to dissuade that aura of fear.

"What will it be miss," the cubby bartender asked beats of sweat dripping down his face and staining his shirt.

"A Mandalorian Firewater, and a tarx-masher," Rachel answered, "Carth?"

"Corellian brandy and a bantha steak."

A few minutes later their food arrived and the pair began to eat and discuss possible ways to get into the lower city.

"Shooting our way in is impossible they have enough fire powered to hold off a company," Carth wearily.

"I agree, but there has to be some other way into the Lower City."

"Maybe-" Carth started to say but Rachel silenced him as she noticed they had an intruder.

"Can I help you?" Rachel asked. The 'intruder' was a blue Twi'lek female probably around fourteen or fifteen Rachel guessed

"Hi I'm Mission," was the girl's cheerful reply.

"Rachel," Rachel said indicating herself, "and this is Carth. Carth way don't you go play cards or something while Mission and I talk."

Carth hesitated for a second then got up and made his way over to the pazzak table, not understanding but trusting his partner. The man had a stick up his ass the size of a Republic cruiser and he had an aura of authority about him she didn't think would go over well here.

The smiling teen hoped on the bar stool next to them and said, "You two must be pretty new here, cause Zaalbar I know everyone here."

"Zaalbar?"

"My best friend, he's… right over there," she said pointing.

Rachel's eyes followed Mission's arm until she found Zaalbar, "Wow, you don't see many Wookiees off Kashyyysk."

"Kashyyysk?"

Frowning Rachel said, "It's the Wookiee homeworld, he's never talked about it?"

"No Zaalbar doesn't talk much about home."

"So Mission you seem like a knowledgeable person," Rachel said quickly changing the subject.

Beaming the young Twi'lek agreed, "There's no one who knows more about the Lower City than me and Zaalbar."

"Good, do you know any ways into the Under City that the Sith might not know about," Rachel asked.

"Well…" Mission trailed off looking thoughtful.

Rachel having experience in the seedier parts of the galaxy knew instantly what the girl was looking for and slid a twenty credit chit across the table.

Snatching it up quickly she answered, "No all routes into the Under City are either guarded by soldiers or electronics. No one can come or leave without the permission of the Sith Governor."

Rachel while externally remain calm, internally was upset. She and Carth needed to check out the crashed escape pods to see if they could find any trace of Bastila. Not for the first time she wondered why exactly she was doing this.

She held no true love for the Republic or the Jedi. Glancing over at Carth she saw that he was engorged in his Pazzak game, sighing she realized she was doing this because it was important to him. Event though it was stupid she felt like she owed ham Rachel wasn't one to let a debt go unpaid.

"However there might be someone who can help you," Mission continued interrupting Rachel musings.

"Who," Rachel asked sliding out another credit chip.

Grabbing the chip she said, "Gadon Thek, he's the leader of the Hidden Beks."

"A Swoop Bike gang," she said questioningly.

"Yeah, and don't give me that look the Beks are all right, they're an honorable group unlike those scumbag Vulkars," the young alien said defensively, "Go to Gadon he hates the Sith as much as anyone I'm sure he might be able to help you."

"For a price?"

Mission shrugged, "It's the way things work down here," then standing up she smiled, "It's been a pleasure meeting you Rachel but I should go before Zaalbar eats everything."

Walking off she yelled out, "Come on Big Z lets go."

The Wookiee then growled out something that Rachel thought meant, 'But I haven't had my fourth helping,' or something to that extent her wookieespeak was a little rusty.

Paying for her meal she stood up and waved Carth over to explain what was going on.

XXX

So far, as far as Rachel could tell Gadon Thek seemed like a pretty straight shooter. He was a man with a set of principles who followed them even if they hurt. His 'gang' was less of a criminal group than a group just trying to survive in the lower city. The man as Rachel was learning was also a talented negotiator.

"So there's no way past the Sith checkpoints and into the Under City," Carth grumbled.

The leader of the Hidden Beks sat down at his desk, "Why do you want to go down there. It's not exactly a friendly place."

"We're looking for a friend," Rachel started the deciding to go out on a limb. It wasn't like they had much of a choice any way, "A Republic officer. We think her pod crash landed in the Under City."

Carth ever the soldier immediately tensed and threw Rachel a glare.

"Don't worry your secret's safe with me," he said holding up his hands in a placating gesture, "I'm no friend of the Sith."

"You have a problem with the Sith then," Rachel asked wanting to know where he stood. Taris had been under Sith occupation almost since the start of the war. It was plenty of time for certain people to get in cozy with their new masters.

"Damn straight, a foreign army marches in conquers the planet and declares martial law and you think I am all right with that," he yells standing up and pacing about the room,"Blast, if only this fracking swoop war would end. Then our strength wouldn't be wasted against each other and we could drive the Sith out of the Lower City. If they ever came back we'd use guerilla tactics, hit and run strikes; their causalities would be enormous."

Rachel barely contained a snort at the man's optimism and Carth had no problem voicing his doubts, "I don't think the Sith would be that easily beat. They've had a lot of practice overrunning worlds and ou wouldn't last long against any dedicate anti-insurgency forces."

The pair looked like they were about to argue when Rachel stepped in, "Alright boys, settle down. Mr. Thek about the Under City?"

"Actually I believe we can help each other," he said a grin sliding over his face, "See the young woman you're talking about is a prisoner of the Black Vulkers and they have put here up for collateral for the Taris swoop race. If you don't know the Taris Season Opener is incredibly important event here in the Lower City. If the Vulkers win they will gain enough support to wipe us out and if we win we can force the Vulkers to a peace settlement."

"How can we help," was Carth's guarded question.

"My best mechanic managed to create an accelerator for one of the bikes that will ensure our victory."

"But…" Rachel inquired just waiting for the other shoe to drop."

The old man let out a sigh, "It was stolen; get it back and I let you ride it and you'll be a sure-fired winner. It's the only way you'll be able to rescue your friend."

"Where do we find the Vulker base," asked Rachel wearily.

"The main entrance is at the end of the Southeast corridor," Thek explained, "but you'll never get through that door it's too heavily guarded. However there is a secret entrance in the Under City. A young Twil'lek by the name of Mission Vao and her Wookiee friend Zaalbar know where."

Carth looked alarmed, "What she could have been more than fifteen years and she goes running around in the Under City?"

Rachel felt alarm too but didn't show it, "Well with a Wookiee at your side I guess you can deal with the odd threat," she said to carth before turning back to the old man, "but Gadon that still leaves us getting past the checkpoint and down to the Under City."

Gadon smiled a smile of a man who held a winning hand and knew it," While you can't get around the checkpoint you might be able to go through it."

Carth huffed, "With all the firepower they got?"

"No with these," he said laying two white pieces of paper on the desk, "These are Sith security papers saying that the bearer of these is a licensed private contractor in the service of the Planetary Governor; they're forged of course."

Rachel eye's went wide leading down she examined the documents. They all seemed to appear genuine as far as she could tell. With these they could hopefully get into the Under City without any further problems from the Sith. Rachel leaned forward and reached out to take them but they were snatched away.

"Ah hah," Gadon said waging an eyebrow, "I'll give you these in exchange for the Sith Armor you used to buff your way down here."

Crossing her own arms she put on a curious look, "And what do you want with a couple of Sith Uniforms?"

"I'm trying to formant a resistance movement against the Sith," Gadon explained, "Having Sith uniforms on hand might make things easier."

Agreeing Rachel and Carth surrendered their uniforms in return for the Security papers, "Thank you," Thek said signaling two of his people to come in and take the uniforms.

"It's late," he said holding his hands out in a welcoming gesture, "and I prepared quarters for you."

Rachel hesitated before realizing that man was right. It was late and she was dead tired. Her muscles ached and she was having trouble keeping focused. Smiling she replied, "Thank you for your hospitality."

Stood and led them out of his office and handed them off to a young biker. The man led them through the Beks main base until they arrived outside one of the many identical rooms in the facility, "Well here you are," he said and then promptly left them alone.

"Hey.. ahh, thanks I think," Carth called out lamely.

"Damn," Rachel said softly open seeing their sleeping arrangements. The room was furnished like a small apartment with a single medium sized bed up against the far wall.

"What's… oh," Carth echoed.

"Blast… Carth," Rachel started feeling her stomach flutter.

Sighing Carth set his bag down and ever the officer gentleman said, "I'll take the floor."

Dropping her own bag she responded, "Carth, no it's alright were adults," smiling nervously, "I promise not to molest you in your sleep or something like that."

Carth chuckled and left the room to use the refresher while Rachel stripped down to her bra and underwear and climbed into bed. A few minutes later Carth returned wearing naught but his shorts.

Rachel grinned slightly as she saw his well-muscled body, hardened by nearly six years of non-stop fighting. He may be a slightly paranoid office type but Rachel had to admit he was easy on the eyes. Even if he was a good bit older than she was.

Suddenly she glanced over to the pile of her armor and her bodysuit lying along the wall. Maybe it wasn't such of a good idea to strip down to her undergarments. Looking back up had him she sighed under her breath that when she got out of here she need to get laid… and bad.

Carth climbed into the other side of the bed and pulled up the covers, "Night Rachel."

"Night Carth."

XXX

_A young 10 year old Rachel…no Revan was playing with her pet strill in the forest behind her mother's house on Errdus III, a small planet in the Outer-Rim. Revan knew enough that her mother had been a Mandalorian and had been forced to leave the clans. She wasn't sure why but Revan believed that it had something to do with her and the reason she didn't have a father._

_Though if the young girl was honest with herself she didn't need a father, her and her mother got along just fine._

_"Come here Mir," she called out to the strill. The answer came quick as the meter long furry flying reptile swept down out of the trees and landed right next to her. Giving the creature a big hug Revan said, "Come on Mir we got to get back home before mom starts worrying."_

_It was getting dark out so the girl and her pet began walking back to her house. When they reached the house Revan knew immediately that something was wrong. It wasn't a feeling she could put into words. She had had this feeling several times before and it had never failed her._

_Not quite knowing why she was so worried Revan began to pick up speed and broke into a run towards her house. As if sensing its master's fear the strill began to run as well. _

_Upon reaching the house Revan felt her fears multiply. The front door was kicked in with the hinges broken. Moving quietly she entered the house, Mir following right behind he. The hallways and rooms that once provided security now filled her with fear. Suddenly she heard a deep angry voice. _

_"Where is your little bastard, Mirta," Revan heard the voice say and realized it was coming from the living from. Making her way to the living room she felt her heart well up in her throat as she saw her mother on her knees bleeding from a gash on her head and a split lip. Her assailants were three massive Mandalorian Supercommandos, encased in their white and silver armor._

_"She's gone I sent her away from her," her mother spat._

_Seemingly displeased with her answer the leader backhanded her hard across the face, "You lie! Is she here? Where are you hiding her?"_

_"She's gone," Revan's Mother repeated spitting blood from her mouth._

_Drawing his pistol the warrior placed the barrel between her eyes, "Then you are useless to me," he said and pulled the trigger._

_"NO" Revan screamed tears streaming down her face as the bolt from the pistol tore through her mother's face and her body dropped to the floor lifeless. Upon hearing the scream the three commandos turned lifting their weapons and training them on the young girl, but they held their fire._

_"There you are little one and just so you know it gives me no honor to kill children but I have my orders," the leader said shrugging. _

_"Why," was Revan's simple question?_

_"Because Mandalore has ordered it. He wishes you dead for some reason," the lead commando answered honestly, "Now you die little one."_

_As he finished the sentence Mir shot out from behind Revan leaping up onto the leader and sinking its fangs into the weak point in the armor were the helmet and breastplate meet. A strill's fangs were long and sharp and Mir's bit cut deep into the commando's neck. The strill itself was long lived and had killed men before and knew were to strike. _

_The commando had to know he was dead as he felt the strills fangs puncture his jugular. The commando fell to the ground as the strill jumped off him and he grabbed uselessly to stem the tide of blood following from his neck._

_The other two commandos though caught off guard reacted as one would expect of Mandalorian Elites, quickly and deadly. The surviving commandos quickly blasted the offending strill and the turned their weapons of Revan intent on finishing their mission. _

_Revan's grief and loss had now turned into rage and suddenly Revan felt something she never felt before. A red veil seemed to fall across her vision and all she wanted was those men dead for murdering her mother and Mir. _

_Revan screamed and the power of the dark-side, though she didn't know what the power was, was unleashed. The two commandos raised their arms in a useless gesture to ward off the wave of dark power. The Force ripped through them reducing them to misty free floating particles of blood leaving Revan with her mother's mutilated body as she drifted into blackness _

XXX

Carth woke up sometime in the middle of the night and found his and Rachel's limbs interwoven and her head buried into his chest. Not wanting to wake her up he simply lay their admiring her. For the first time since they had landed he allowed himself to truly admire her. She was beautiful he thought as he ran his hand through her shoulder length blonde hair.

"Hmmm," came the noise from the sleeping woman.

Carth froze afraid he was going to wake her and find himself in a compromising position. However he grew more concerned as her breathing grew erratic and she began to toss and turn and mumble. The young woman's face was a mask of terror and her eyes darted rapidly beneath her eyelids.

"Rachel, Rachel, wake up your having a nightmare," Carth whispered nudging her shoulders. When she didn't wake up he became worried and began to shake her slightly and began to speak a little louder.

"Carth?" she said weakly licking her cracked lips as tears streamed down her face.

Confused as to what was going on he simply nodded and asked, "What happened?"

She didn't answer and he was surprised when she buried her head in his chest and began to cry. Carth's instincts took over and he tightened his arms around the crying women and just held her whispering that it would be alright.

He didn't know what was bothering her and just lay their stroking her back as sobs racked her lithe body. In a way it made him uneasy. While he hadn't known her for long what he did know about said that she was strong, tough and disciplined. From what he'd read in her file she'd been through hell during the war. What could make her fall apart like this scared him more than he'd like to admit.

XXX

Rachel was the first to wake up rolling out of bed quietly so as not to wake Carth. Remembering the events of last night she cursed herself for falling apart. Sitting down she thumped her head with the heel of her palm.

"What the hell is going on," she groaned, these dreams were starting to scare her. Why of all people was she dreaming of the childhood of Revan the former Commanding General of the Republic Forces Outer-Rim turned Dark Lord of the Sith.

She had never even met the woman, Rachel frowned, or had she? Searching through her memories of the Mandalorian Wars she realized that as a member of 1st Special Forces Regiment Republic Army she must have met Revan. The unit had been under the ex-Jedi's personal command during Dxun and half a dozen other battles. So why couldn't she remember?

Grasping her head in her hands she groaned again, maybe it was just too early or maybe she had simply wanted to forget everything she had seen. Suddenly she heard a noise and spun around hand dropping for the knife in her boot. Carth was sitting up in bed blinking the sleep out of his eyes.

Catching his gaze she sighed somewhat embarrassed, "Carth about last night…"

"What about last night?" Carth said with a smile and Rachel knew there would be no conversation about last night and for that she was thankful. She held his gaze for several moments and felt a fluttering in her heart she at not felt for a long time.

Quickly she stood up and told Carth, "Let's get going we got to find Mission."

XXX

**Command Structure of the Sith Empire of the Star Forge, by Lt. Commander Allison Dodonna deputy commander of Raithel Naval Academy**

_The command structure of the Sith Empire during what would become known as the Jedi Civil War was very particular. The Sith command contained elements of several different forms of government; a theocracy (rule by a religious body) because the Sith were a Dark side cult, a corruption of the Jedi Order. The government also has elements of a kratocracy (a rule by the strong) because the strongest Sith Lord must always rule and finally a Stratocracy (a rule in which the government is the military.)_

_The leader of the Empire was the titular the Dark Lord of the Sith. To be the Dark Lord the Sith in questioned had to be the strongest amongst those in the Sith Order. During the Jedi Civil War this title was held by two people, first by Revan the founder of the empire and later by Malak her apprentice and de-facto heir after her supposed death. _

_Underneath the Dark Lord the command split. Down one path sat the Council of Sith Lords. The number of chairs on the council depended on the size of the empire. In the opening days of the war Revan's Sith controlled most of the Outer Rim and an unknown portion of the Unknown Regions (See notes).This territory was split up under the lords Renault and Strumn, two of Revan's earliest converts. As the war progressed more Dark Jedi were granted the title of lord and territory to administer. At the height of the war there were known to be at least twelve lords. Each Sith Lord had the responsibility to keep order in his or her territory as well as protect it from enemies (i.e. the Republic.)_

_Under each lord was a Theater Command for their respective territories with the Sith Lord acting as the Theater Commander. The theater command was expected to maintain order throughout the multiple sectors, systems and planet's throughout its area of responsibility. The theater command then broke down as one would expect of normal military command. _

_The second command path from the Dark Lord was Sith High Command (HCOM) which controlled the Sith Empire's massive war machine. High Command consisted of two army High Generals, two High Admirals, a Marine General and the Dark Lord acting as the Chairman. Revan however appointed Field Marshal Karl von Swhartze of Corulag to chair high command because she often took personal command of one of the Fleet and Army Groups at Front. _

_As Revan often took command of the Fleet and Army groups with the toughest assignment it fell to High Command to conduct the strategic planning for the other fronts. After planning HCOM would submit plans to Revan for approval before implementation. Field Marshal Swhartze's genius was well known among military circles and he himself had served as General in Revan's army during the Mandalorian wars, so he plenty bloodied. Though the Field Marshal lacked Revan flair and ingenuity, under his charge Sith High Command became one of the most effective Military commands in the history of the galaxy, far out shinning its Republic Counterpart._

_Though it should be noted after Malak's coup he had many of the members of High Command executed under vauge charges of treason as they were unwavering supporters of Revan. Malak then had them replaced with his sycophants greatly hampering HCOM's efficiency. The only survivor from the original command was Field Marshal Swhartze who was far too popular to simply kill off so Malak had him reassigned to the position Inspector General of the Army, a honorary but dead-end appointment, where he could not threaten the new Dark Lord. _

_Underneath High Command their existed multiple front commands both Army and Fleet which in turn broke down into individual fleets and armies and so on and so forth. _

_Notes:_

_There may have been additional Sith Lords active in the Unknown Regions though it remains a mystery._

_Their also existed a shadow organization with the Sith Empire, The Dark Lord's Black Hand or simply the Black Hand. Little is known about this organization during the war except it was originally comprised of Mandalorians that swore loyalty to Revan (exact reason for this alliance is not known) and former Republic Special Forces operatives and it reported directly to Revan. _

_Towards the end of the war the Black Hand in addition to its intelligence and special operations roles the Black Hand could field close to a hundred combat divisions, at least thirty armored division, and six Sector Fleet sized elements all reporting directly to Darth Revan. It was a massive private armed forces Revan could call upon to fulfill her will independently of the regular armed forces. It also served as frightening deterrent for any Sith Lord or Dark Jedi tried to overthrow her. _

_This organization is believed to be responsible for the captured and or assignation of many Jedi during the War. Numbers remain unknown as does their exact mission. Also the Black Hand is believed to have opposed Malak's ascent to Dark Lord of the Sith, but any action taken before Revan's return is unknown._


	3. Chapter 2: Taris, Search and Rescue

**STAR WARS**

Chapter 2: Taris, Search and Rescue

Rachel and Carth made their way through the dingy and rundown areas of the lower city. Making their way around the corner they came across a shakedown involving a two men and a pair of Rodians. One was a small greasy looking man with a blaster pistol on his hip and the other… the other was a Mandalorian and a bear of a Mandalorian at that. He was a good two meters tall and all muscle that fit nicely with his grey hair and cold eyes. In his arms he was cradling a blaster cannon that normally would have been mounted on a tripod.

Apparently the bug-faced aliens had been attempting to cheat Davik, the local crime lord, and the Mandalorian was the incentive to pay up. Once the thugs were properly mollified the first man went inside the next hallway to discuss 'terms', while the Mandalorian stood outside.

Looking up the Mandalorian noticed them and was probably about to tell them to frack off when Rachel saw his eyes drift over her armor and clan tatoos. Finally his eyes settled on her face and Rachel thought she saw a brief flicker of realization before it was buried beneath his impenetrable glower.

"What is your name child of Mandalore," he asked in the proper Mandalorian greeting.

Though Mandalorian was Rachel's native tongue it had been some time since she had heard it spoken aloud and rarely since the war ended, "Rachel of Clan Skirta", she managed to say in the same language, "and you are?"

"Canderous of Clan Ordo," the warrior replied, "What brings you to his…hellhole." He finished gesturing at the decrepit state of the Under City.

Rachel gave the warrior and appraising look. Clan Ordo had been one of the largest of all the Mandalorian clans. The clan had spearheaded Mandalore's conquest in the Outer-Rim and had bathed itself in blood and glory during the invasion of the Republic.

Carth by this point had dropped his hand to his holstered pistols threateningly, though he couldn't speak Mandoa he could certainly recognize it and with the exception of Rachel he didn't trust Mandalorians, the Mandalorian War and this war had taught him that.

To him they were merciless butchers and killers who murder for some semblance of honor that was beyond him and given the fact that they had thrown in with the traitor Revan and her Sith was even more damming.

"Rachel let's get outta here," Carth growled.

Canderous glared at Carth menacingly a glare with Carth returned, "He your Mate," Canderous queried Rachel again in Mando'a.

Feeling a slight blush she held up her hands to calm Carth and answered in the same language, "No he not my mate… husband we're just friends," she paused, "I can't stay and recount old glories. Our friend is in the Under City we have to go get her."

"Good luck," he snorted then a bit softer said, "May warrior fortunes smile on your efforts."

With the customary Mandalorian farewell Canderous turned and left heading back towards the elevator. Once he was gone Carth turned to Rachel and said calmly, "What was that about," clearly trying not to sound suspicious.

"Nothing Carth he was just introducing himself," she explained before her face hardened, "What's your problem anyway you looked like you too were gonna fight it out right here."

"I don't like him he's a…" Carth trailed off as he realized what he was about to say and to whom he was going to say it.

Turning on him in a fury she spat, "What a Mandalorian? Is that what you were going to say…damnit Carth were not all like the Republic Propaganda spits out, brutal and mindless savages, some of us admittedly are but not all of us."

"Blast Rachel," he started to apologize as she turned and started walking down the hall shaking in anger, "Rachel," he called out again running up to her. Taking her by the shoulders he started to the cold ice-blue eyes, "I'm sorry, prejudice is a little hard to overcome."

Releasing her he stood back and ran his hand through his hair, "Listen your one of the most talented and skilled women I've ever worked with and I probably wouldn't have made it this far without you. I guess I just didn't like the way he was looking at you, I was jealous."

Calming down Rachel sighed clenching and unclenching her hands in frustration, "Alright it's okay I kinda flew off the handle. I guess… I'm a little bit tired of being blamed for the actions of a culture that I didn't even grow up in."

"We alright," she asked not liking the amount of wistfulness in her tone.

"We're alright," was his answer.

XXX

The Under City was one of the worse places she had ever been Rachel realized. The place was a literal hell filled with disease, viscous Mutants called rakghouls and Gamorrean slavers. It was a place where people of all kinds who didn't fit in, in the higher levels were tossed to fend for themselves with no chance of escape.

Rachel and Carth had just made their way through the depressing sight of the outcast's village and into the dank abyss of the Under City. It was like entirely different world down here. It reminded her of Dxun and a half a dozen other war-torn worlds she'd fought on.

"Firefek," Rachel swore as she slammed a fresh power back into her carbine. The moment they had left the village they had been assaulted by swarms of the hideous mutants. Standing she carefully moved towards the mutant her weapon still trained on its pallid grey flesh. Kicking the creature once more to make sure it was dead she signaled Carth this fight was over.

Rachel turned to Carth, "Carth we gotta find Mission quick. We can't do this forever," she said scanning for more mutants.

"We've got to keep looking," Carth responded, "she's the only way we have to find Bastila." Rachel opened her mouth to argue but immediately shut it as she heard the frantic shouting of a young woman.

"Help, Help somebody help me," the heard the voice saying, Mission, Rachel realized a memory of the young girl's voice from the cantina flitting through her mind.

Waiting until the girl passed their cover Rachel reached out and grabbed the fourteen year old Twi'lek by the scruff of her jacket and yanked her into the crater. Covering the blue girl's mouth with her hand Rachel whispered, "I'm going to remove my hand and you're going to stop screaming, right."

Frightened, Mission nodded swiftly.

Slowing removing her gloved hand the ex-spec ops soldier asked, "What happened."

Mission gulped tears misting her eyes and her leku quivering said, "They took him, they took him."

"Took who," Carth asked still keeping his eyes peeled and his hands on his blaster looking for any sign of the rakghouls.

"Zaalbar," she gulped.

"Your Wookiee friend," a confirmatory nod from Mission, "who took him, the rakghouls," Rachel asked worriedly for the young girl.

Shaking her head Mission said with a slight tremble, "Gamorrean slavers in the sewers. Zaalbar and me were playing around down their when they attacked… he… he threw them off me and told me to run… I thought he was right behind me, but they must of gotten him."

It took Rachel less than a second to come to a conclusion. She didn't like leveraging her assistance in rescuing Zaalbar for the Twi'lek's help in getting the swoop bike accelerator, but Rachel felt she didn't have a choice, "If we help you rescue Zaalbar will you help us break into the Vulkar base."

"It's a deal lets go," she said gathering he courage and pulling out a small vibro-blade and turning it on.

Smirking Rachel said, "You need better than that," and removed a small hold-out blaster from her ankle holster and handed it to the girl.

Accepting the weapon Mission tested the weight and hefted the gun, "Thanks," she whispered.

Nodding Rachel said, "Mission how do we get into the sewers,"

Peeking out of the makeshift foxhole Mission pointed to a small hatch about a hundred feet away, "That will take us down into the sewers, the Gamorreans set up camp in the old pump control room."

Flashing a signal to Carth the team made their way stealthily to the hatch. Flipping on the carbine's glow rod Rachel quickly made sure nothing was waiting for them at the bottom before beginning her descent. Carth being a sailor and not a soldier nearly choked on the smell while Rachel stifled a laugh. Compared to some of the places she served in this wasn't all that bad.

"Which way Mission," Rachel said as she checked the hallways.

"That way," Mission pointed down the dark, ominous passage way.

Taking point she hoisted her blaster and began to advance through the tunnel with Carth bringing up the rear with Pistols drawn. Mission being the least martial experience was sandwiched in-between them. Coming to the end of the tunnel they heard noises, pig like grunting and squealing characteristic of Gamorreans. Peeking into the room Rachel counted ten.

Signaling Carth who quietly explained what was about to happen to Mission. Rachel withdrew a flash grenade from her belt and threw it. Covering her eyes she waited for the boom then her and Carth stormed the room.

Rachel was the first in setting her carbine to burst mode she lined up the first pig creature and put a three bolt burst up his snout. Then with the calmness of a veteran soldier she shifted targets and fired again.

The battle took all of about five seconds with her and Carth claiming most of the kills, though Mission managed to shoot one in the leg before Rachel finished it off with a double tap to the head.

Suddenly from behind a closed door there was a loud, familiar roar, "Zaalbar," Mission screamed and ran over and unbolted the door.

At seeing his friend safe and sound the massive Wookiee woofed in delight and picked up the little Twi'lek in a massive hung. Then noticing the presence of Rachel and Carth he growled a question to Mission.

"These are my new friends," she hastily explained, "Without them you wouldn't have been rescued."

{Who is this?} Zaalbar woofed.

Steeping forward Rachel introduced herself, "I'm Rachel it's a pleasure to meet you Zaalbar and this is Carth," she paused for a second before adding, "We're from the Republic."

Carth's eyes went wide at her statement and was about to shout at her when she waved him off. A Wookie's honor was more precious to them than their lives. Rachel knew that the big creature would never betray their secret.

Growling in surprise Zaalbar said, {You know the language of my people; that is very rare among your kind.}

Smiling Rachel crossed her arms, "I'm a unique lady."

{You have saved me from a life of slavery at the hands of the Gamorreans," the Wookie continued solemnly, {the only way I can repay you is with a life debt.}

Mission's eyes went wide, "Whoa a life debt, this is serious Zaalbar."

Rachel was just as surprised as Mission. A life debt is the most solemn vow a Wookiee can make. It's an oath that said Wookiee will protect that person with their life for as long as they live. It was an oath rarely given for the aforementioned reasons.

"Zaalbar I…" Rachel trailed off, to refuse such a debt was a grave dishonor, "I'd be honored to accept your life debt."

Smiling Mission put her hands on her hips, "Well I guess you're stuck with me too, where Zaalbar goes I go."

Rachel through an apologetic glance at Carth who merely shrugged, "All right Mission can you get us into the Black Vulkar base."

"Yeah it's down the south passage and guarded by a ray shield. You need a fourteen digit alpha numeric code to shut it down," then a smug smile crossed her face, "I picked the code off a Black Vulker that had too much to drink one night."

"Alright let's move out."

The now four person team made their way with Mission in the lead heading towards the ray shield.

"So Carth," Rachel heard Mission start trying to make small talk, "you're with the Republic."

Nodding Carth answered, "Yeah, I'm in the Navy; a Captain actually."

"Whoa you command a ship, is it a big one?"

Shrugging Carth said, "Mid-size, a Hammerhead-Class cruiser she was called the Endar Spire. The Sith blew her up."

Mission fell silent for a few seconds before asking, "So you been to a lot of worlds Carth, what do you think of Taris?"

Carth seemed to carefully considered his answer, "To be honest Mission Taris isn't one of the better places I've seen, the rich life in luxury while the poor suffer for their greed."

Mission as expected was quick to defend her homeworld, "Well that's only started since the Sith…" she started then said, "No, I guess it's always been this way."

"Taris isn't any place for a kid to grow up, not even one with a Wookiee for protection."

As soon as the words left his mouth Rachel flinched and Zaalbar groaned as Mission face when purple with rage, "Hey I'm no kid in fact I take care of Zaalbar just as much as he takes care of me."

"Don't you snap at me missy," Carth warned.

"Or what, old man you aren't my father though your certainly old enough," Mission countered furiously.

Before things could get any worse Rachel stepped in stopped the argument from going any further, "Listen up were both on the same side here. So cut it out."

Mission," she said looking at the young woman, "Carth didn't mean you weren't capable of defending yourself, but you have to admit this is a rough place."

Reluctantly Mission nodded, "And Carth she's not a kid no one who capable of doing what she doing is a kid."

Slowly Carth agreed and apologized; an apology which Mission accepted and returned. The fight avoided the team made their way to the force shield and its control terminal. As they did Rachel stifled a laugh. Who would have thought that here in the sewers in the Under City of Taris, a planet under Sith Occupation that Rachel, a Mandalorian would be playing peacemaker for a Republic captain and a teenage Twi'lek.

"Alright," Mission said moving towards the terminal and began typing; her fingers flying over the keys.

"Mission how long is this going to-" Rachel started to say but was cut off by the whine of the field disengaging, "Never mind."

As the force field shut down Zaalbar stepped through holding his massive Wookie bow caster and careful checked the area, {All Clear} he growled.

"Alright Mission," Rachel said, "where do we go next."

Gesturing with her pistol Mission said, "If we go down the right tunnel we'll be next to the… ohhh no," she groaned.

Zaalbar's large furry head snapped around, {Oh Mission you didn't tell them.}

"Tell us what," Rachel said concerned.

Carth also jerked his head up responding to Rachel's remark as he was not able to understand the Wookiee, "What's going on?"

Running her hand over her head Mission laughed nervously, "In the room that separates us from the underground entrance to the Vulker base there's a ummm…."

"A what," Carth demanded, after the rakghouls it couldn't be that bad could it.

"A Rancor," she said sheepishly.

"What!" Carth and Rachel shouted in unison.

"A Rancor," she repeated.

"Why is… how did… A Rancor," Carth stumbled over his words.

"Is it the only way in Mission," Rachel questioned.

"The only way that's not guarded by auto turrets and dozens of guards," Mission responded.

"Alright let's go," Rachel said egging her team on.

Making their way down through the tunnels the finally came to a large blast door separating the tunnel from where the needed to go.

"Mission let's see if you can get-" Rachel has cut off by a cracking sounding. Looking down she saw she had stepped on a severed arm in the late stages of decomposition.

"Ewwww," Mission groaned.

Pulling out her combat knife she noticed something in the creature's hand. Using the knife she poked at the item the severed arm was holding…it was a data-pad. Picking it up she noticed three small vials underneath it.

Handing the data-pad off to Carth she picked up one of the vials, it contained a disgusting brownish green colored liquid, still examining the vial she said to Carth, "What's the data-pad say."

He skimmed through the pad before answering, "Our friend here," he said gesturing to the severed arm, "or what's left of him believed that the liquid is instinctively appealing to a Rancor. However it appears he never got to actually test his theory."

Finishing reading Carth simply tossed the data-pad back down the hall, "Now what?"

Rachel was silent for a second before a cold smirk crossed her face.

"What, what's your plan," Mission said excitedly.

Not answering Rachel nodded her head in the direction of the blast door, "Mission are your sure this room contains the Rancor."

"Positive," Mission answered her head bobbing up and down, "and the secret entrance to the Vulker base is on the other side."

"Alright this is the game plan," Rachel said as Carth, Mission and Zaalbar gathered around her. Then pulling out a fragmentation grenade she continued, "We'll douse the liquid on a few of the grenades, put them in a bag and toss them into the room."

"I'll do it," Mission volunteered immediately.

{Mission}, Zaalbar growled, {It's too dangerous.} While at the same time Carth said, "I don't think so."

Rachel had to agree with them, "Mission I don't think-" but she was silenced as Mission interrupted.

"Just because I'm young doesn't mean I…," Mission trailed off realizing that arguing wasn't likely to get her what she wanted decided to try a different approach, "Rachel listen, I'm smaller, lighter and quicker than anyone else I can sneak into the room and place the bag closer to the rancor than the rest of you."

Rachel, Zaalbar and Carth exchanged glances Mission was right and they all knew it. Sighing Rachel agreed, "Be careful," she said handing the bag filled with grenades and the vials to Mission.

XXX

Mission took the bag and headed toward the door swallowing her nervousness as she did. As she came to the door she unlocked it and waited for the blast doors to open wincing at the loud grinding sound as the blast door slid open.

As Mission entered the large cavernous room she felt her stomach catch in her throat as she first laid eyes on the rancor. The massive two story tall monster was thankfully looking the other direction as it lazy gnawed on the bones of some unfortunate prisoner the Vulkers had disposed of.

Stealthily Mission crept up to a pile of bones and rotting flesh, nearly gagging at the smell, removing the bag she laid it in the pile and carefully removed one of the grenades and armed it; setting the timer for five minutes before placing the bomb back into the back. Then she broke the seal on one of the vials and dumped its vile contents all over the bag. Then she ran like hell back to her team.

The rancor sniffed once then smelling something it like it slowly stood up lifting its head and taking several large whiffs. The creature rumbled as slowly moved towards the strange scent. Reaching out with its massive clawed hands it scoped up the pile of bones and rotten flesh and dumped it into its mouth. Several minutes later the bomb went off and with a strangled roar it died as its stomach blew open.

Rachel and Carth were the first through the door, "Whew, Mission she sure did a number on it, good job," Carth observed as she saw the carnage that had been done to the body.

"It was Rachel's idea," Mission said coming to the defense of her new friend.

"But you carried it out Mission and I'm proud of you," Rachel said honestly meaning it. The girl was far calmer under pressure then some of the soldiers she had fought with.

"Thanks," the young Twi'lek beamed.

XXX

As one would expect the 'secret' back door to a biker gang base was completely unguarded.

Rachel, being the ex-Republic Commando took point. Carth came next being a Naval Captain he didn't have a lot of ground fighting experience outside the simulator and the rec room. Mission was placed in the middle, being the youngest and least experienced with a weapon. Finally, Zaalbar the massive Wookiee brought up the rear cradling his enormous Wookiee bowcaster .

The team quickly and quietly made it through the tunnels of the base, growing concerned Carth voiced a question that was growing on Rachel's mind, "Where's everyone? Shouldn't someone be here?"

"There all probably drunk or sleeping; with the big race three days away they tend party before," Mission explained.

Nodding Rachel waved everyone forward and they entered a large room the branched up into three hallways and an office.

{Look}, Zaalbar growled pointing at the back on the room which a large security terminal sat.

"Mission see if you can hack that," Rachel whispered pointing at the terminal.

Nodding Mission snuck over to the terminal while Rachel, Carth and Zaalbar formed a semi-circle around her in order to protect her.

"I got it," Mission yelped, suddenly causing Rachel, Carth and Zaalbar to jump.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly as her partners glared at her, "I managed to crack their administrative password."

"That was quick," Carth mused.

"Well it was simple all they had was a level three syrtech-" Mission bragged.

"Mission," Rachel hissed.

"Sorry," she said again.

"Mission can you find where the accelerator is," Rachel asked.

Mission when to work clicking away on the keypad, "I got it. It's a level down in the garage."

"How do we get there," Carth asked.

With a few more clicks Mission brought up the base schematics and explained the quickest way to the accelerator.

"Alright Mission, lock down all the dormitories and rooms between us and the garage and disable any defensives," Rachel ordered, "Carth you're with me, Zaalbar stay with Mission."

Carth nodded and Zaalbar growled in approval, "What about me," asked Mission confused as her name hadn't been mentioned."

"Mission you stay here," and seeing Mission about argue about being left behind finished, "you need to stay here to cover us an warn us if anyone comes after us."

Mollified Mission too agreed.

XXX

Rachel and Carth were crouched outside of the garage door; they could hear the pounding of the gangsters trapped inside.

"Mission how many are there," Rachel whispered through her comlink.

"Six," came Mission's voice over the comm, "two with blasters and the rest with vibro-daggers."

"Wonderful," Carth intoned sarcastically.

"Alright Mission, give it a good thirty seconds then open the door," Rachel said plugging a new power pack into her carbine.

"Got it, thirty seconds then open the door."

"You got a plan beautiful," Carth inquired taking up a position of the side of the garage door as Rachel did the same on the other.

Smirking, Rachel produced a flash bang from her bag and armed it.

"Oh Alright," said Carth.

Slowly the old garage door creaked open, "Finally," said a strangely accented voice, "It's about ti-", but he never got to finish as Carth pistol whipped him, cracking over the head knocking him out.

The next gangster could barely swear before Carth shot him center of mass. While Rachel at the same time swung her carbine around and raked the room with blaster fire striking most of the bikers.

However one of the biker bleeding from a blaster strike to his side managed to get off a shot off that caught her in the side. Gasping as the pain she collapsed to the floor as she shouted out in pain. Fortunately her armor absorbed what normally would have been a lethal blow.

Seeing his partner go down Carth swung around and shot the offending biker dead. Carth did a quick sweep of the area and then rushed over to Rachel who was lying on the floor, "Force, Rachel."

The ex-commando was laying on the floor groaning and with tears streaming down her face as her side was covered in her own blood, "Carth," she grated out, "Force, it hurts."

"Stay with me Rachel stay with me," Carth repeated over and over as he rolled her over onto her good side. Though it had been a long time since Carth's medical field training he still remembered enough to stabilize the wounded. Pulling a bio-foam injector from his pack he plunged it into the wound, wincing as Rachel hissed in pain as the foam spread out over her wound. While not a permanent fix the foam would prevent further blood loss and infection.

As the foam spread over her body Rachel hissed at the painful feeling of a thousand fire ants crawling a biting into her side. She immediately recognized the sensation of the bio-foam and tried to calm down as she realized Carth was trying to save her.

As her vision began to go dark at the edges the last thought she had before losing consciousness was that it was ironic that she lived through the entire Mandalorian War battle after battle against one of the most vicious fighting forces in existence only to die at the hands of some street slime two-bit gangster. Then her world went dark.

XXX

_Revan tried not to think about her predicament, tried to ignore it but found it impossible to clean from her mind… she was a slave. After the death of her mother and the death of the commandos by her hand, she had been found a week later hiding in the basement by Trandoshan slavers. _

_The slavers sold her a week later to wealthy plantation owner deep in the Outer-Rim. Revan who was quickly discovered to have an affinity with machines was put in the garage to work on the droids and other mechanical equipment._

_Revan winced as she stood up to get a new pair of compression coils for the swoop racer. Her 'master' had caught her trying to escape and beat her severely and not for the first time. She would not relinquish her freedom or stop trying to escape; it was the Mandalorian blood in her she presumed. _

_Rubbing her many bruises up and down her arms she walked over to storage facility and removed the coils. Finding them in good working order she turned and made her way back before starting the installation._

_As she did she was keenly aware of the two pairs of electronic eyes on her. The XC-series Battle droids were a state of the art guard droids designed to guard people, property and/or valuables… in this case the valuables her. Since she began to work on and improve the racer her 'master' had won several races making her very valuable. _

_Revan then crawled under one of the engines and the pretended to work; while in reality she was working on something she had been preparing for a while now, a small EMP bomb._

_Pulling it out of its hiding place she armed it and tossed it at the droids' feet who barely had time to look down before it went off and fried their circuits in a burst of blue tinged light. Crossing the swoop's circuits it roared to life. _

_Springing into action Revan leapt into swoop and floored the accelerator causing the swoop to launch out like a shot out of the garage. Revan felt the excitement and the fear mix in her chest as the bike reached close to 200kph. _

_Several of the plantation guard droids made futile attempts to shoot her as she fled but she lnew she was traveling far too fast for them to hit. The swoop rocketed across the plains faster than a normal human was capable of controlling, but Revan, she knew she was not normal. She could almost feel an invisible hand guiding her motions and she knew she would make it to freedom. _

_Revan smiled as she saw the approaching silhouette of the city, now all she need do is find a ship to stow away on and she would be free of this rock forever. Ditching the swoop about a mile out so no one would get suspicious she made her way into town._

_Thirty minutes later she stood at the spaceport. While positively miniscule by Core standards it had around twenty ships coming in or out at any given time. Revan stood trying to decide what ship to go on, logic told her to go on the largest on a Corellian Action III. Being the largest she figured it would be the easiest to hide on, but something deep inside her told her to go the small shuttle._

_Deciding to follow her feelings she approached the shuttle noticing two men talking, "Everything's ready all the supplies on board."_

_"Good, I'll tell the customer… um pylon three it on the fritz go see if you can help Kan," the other man said._

_Grumbling the first man walked away then so did the second hitting the close ramp button as he did. Realizing she had to get on board she burst from her hiding spot and leapt just barely making it on the ship._

_Sighing in relief she looked around. It wasn't a very big ship, a cockpit, a dining area and maybe two bunks. Sneaking into the bed room she hide under the bed wondering what possessed her to stowaway onboard this ship before she drifted off to sleep._

_Revan awoke sometime later to the rumbling of her belly. Knowing she hadn't eaten in nearly a day she crawled out from under the bunk and crept towards the kitchen. Once in the kitchen she headed towards the pantry, pressing a button the door slid open with a hiss. Turning quickly around Revan was afraid someone would have heard her. Noting the silence she turned back to the pantry._

_"Hello there," a soft voice came from behind her. _

_Revan froze hand outstretched, fear eating away at her inside. For the first time her special sense had failed her. The stranger would probably send her back to her master for the reward money she realized tears feeling up in her eyes. _

_"Don't worry I won't hurt you," the voice said a woman's voice._

_Turning slowly around Revan saw the woman she was old… well had least old by Revan's years and dressed in a tattered brown robe, "Who are you," Revan asked trying to blink away the tears._

_"I am Jedi Knight Kreai," the woman said._

_A Jedi… Jedi Rachel had heard of Jedi but never actually seen one. Her mother used to tell her of the Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma who defeated Mandalore the Indomitable and lead her people in the Great Sith War. She also heard tales from passersby at the Swoop Races. She had heard them they say Jedi were sorcerers and evil. Though as she thought her master often spoke of them with hatred and she decided anything her master hated couldn't be all that bad._

_"I'm-" Revan started but was cut off._

_"Revan, I know," Kreai finished._

_Revan required the woman with guarded curiosity not fear as she would have thought._

_"I've waited for you," the old woman said cryptically._

_"What?"_

_"I've waited for you all my life. When I was a little older than you I had a vision about this very moment Revan. Over the years I've feared my vision was wrong," Kreai smiled, "but you're here now."_

_She had the gift, Revan thought excitedly she was like her… special, "What happens now," Revan asked in a rush._

_"I'll take you to Coruscant and force willing the council will approve of me training you. You have a great destiny upon you Revan the Force flows through unlike anything I have ever seen before," Kreai said smiling, "You will do great things Revan. The galaxy will never forget you name."_

_In the moment Revan swore that she would make Master Kreai proud. She would learn everything the best at everything she was taught and be the most powerful Jedi the Order had ever seen. She'd make sure her name would never be forgotten._

XXX

Rachel woke up with a strangle cry of pain, sitting up quickly and seeing herself in strange environment she leapt off the bed. Rachel's combat instincts flared swiping a scalpel she grabbed the room's single occupant and held the blade to his throat, "Who the hell are you, where am I!"

The elderly man in the lab coat swallowed hard, "My…my name is Zelka… Zelka Form. I'm a doctor… your friends brought you here… um Carth, Mission and the Wookiee Zaalbar."

Licking her lips she slowly pulled the scalpel away from the doctor's neck. Rachel winced as the adrenaline faded from her system and she felt the tenderness of her side.

Rubbing the area of his neck where the blade had touched, "Please sit back down I want to…" he started but was cut off suddenly as Mission burst into the room.

"Rachel," Mission screamed in joy, "We thought you were dead," as the energetic Twi'lek bolted across and smothered Rachel in a hug.

"Hey beautiful," Carth said as he and Zaalbar entered the room, "We were worried."

"I noticed," Rachel said as she extracted herself from Mission's hug, "What happened," she questioned as she rubbed her head, "It's all kind of a blur."

"One of the Vulkers got in a lucky got and clipped your wing," Carth said.

Rachel raised an eyebrow at the term and he amended, "Your side, sorry fighter pilot parlance. When I saw you get hit I called down Zaalbar to carry you out."

Rachel looked up at the hairy creature, "Thanks Big Z I owe you one."

The Wookiee bowed his massive shaggy head,{There is no need Rachel Roth, it is my duty under my life debt to protect your life with my own. If anything I should apologize for not being there to protect you.}

Fighting down a twinge of anger at the thought she needed anyone to protect her as she realized that he was bound by his Wookiee honor to protect her, "Zaalbar I will thank you because you helped me and you too Carth."

"Don't mention it," Carth said waving off her thanks and Zaalbar nodded in understanding.

Suddenly Rachel's head shot up, "Did we get the accelerator," she questioned hoping that she hadn't got shot for nothing.

"Yeah we managed to get it out and back to Thek," Carth told her happy to see she was still thinking clearly.

"When's the race," Rachel asked getting back on her feet.

"Whoa, whoa you can't race your still injured," Carth nearly shouted rushing over next to her.

"I'm fine Carth," she growled. Carth simply glared at her until she amended, "All right I'm a little sore but it nothing I can't deal with."

"I'm sorry Ms Skirta-"

"Don't call me that it's rude," Rachel interrupted without thinking as she rubbed her side.

"I'm sorry,' the doctor said confused, "What is rude?"

Looking up she realized what she said, "Oh um Skirta is my Clan name you don't call a Mandalorian by their clan name you call them by their given name… so in my case Rachel."

"Why is that," Mission said curious.

Sighing Rachel not really wanting to explain this piece of trivia, "My name is Rachel that's it Mandalorians don't have last names we have Clan names. I am Rachel of the Mandalorian Clan Skirta and that's it's. Clan names are only used by other Mandalorians as a greeting a show of respect and in formal occasions." Then turning back to the Doctor she asked, "Doc can I leave," in a tone that suggested only one answer.

His dark skin going pale the doctor coughed, "Well um of course just take it easy," he mumbled as he suddenly discovered he had somewhere else to be.

Turn to Carth she smiled, "See I can leave."

Carth merely sighed in defeat, "Force what I am going to do with you woman.

XXX

The next day Rachel sat in the seat of the swoop bike waiting for her final heat to begin. So far she had placed 2nd and this was her last chance to win and save Bastila.

Rachel turned to look at the woman again still feeling uneasy as the Jedi she and Carth had been trying to find had been the woman from her dreams. Well from at least two of them anyway. Her dreams still had her unnerved and frightened as she had no idea why she was having them.

Shaking away her fears Rachel brought her attention back to the track and the objective at hand. Rachel when through the check list one more time making sure every detail was just right and trying to ignore the feeling that she had done this before.

When the light turned green she opened up the throttle all the way and took off like a shot out of a gun. Rachel felt… awkward as she navigated the course if was if someone else guided her hands; she simply knew when to turn, the location of every obstacle and how to avoid them.

As Rachel crossed the finish line and coasted to the Hidden Bek bay she was greeted with jubilant Beks and cheers. Jumping off the bike she removed her helmet and tossed it to one of the mechanics. Rachel sped up as she made her way to the balcony where the racers gathered and the prizes were held, unable to escape a feeling that something was wrong.

"Here she is," shouted the announcer a blue skinned Duros. The alien grabbed her arm and held it up, "Ladies and Gentlemen of Taris I present to you the winner of the Taris Season Opener, Rachel Skirta racing for the Hidden Beks," the announcer proclaimed.

Those racers of the Hidden Beks let out cheers and shouts of joy. Racers from other gangs while upset at their loss also clapped at Rachel's magnificent victory. The only racers who refrained from congratulating her were the Black Vulkars the blood rivals of the Hidden Bek's .

"Here to present the Champion with her prize is Brejik the leader of the Black Vulkars," the Duros finished.

The man who stepped up was an ugly looking dark skinned man with a sneer plastered on his face, "People of Taris here me," the gang leader proclaimed, "before I present the prize to this so-called Champion of the Beks, there is something you should know. The winning rider cheated."

"That's a damn lie you bastard," Rachel snarled as angry shouts rose from the Beks and vulgar responses flew back from the Vulkars.

"Ha," Brejik taunted, "your bike was using a prototype accelerator… clearly," he drew out and raised his arms in disgust, "an unfair advantage. So because of the Hidden Bek treachery I am withdrawing the Vulkars' share of the victory prize."

The Duros announcer gasped clearly shocked, "You can't withdrawal a prize once the race has started. It goes against all our traditions."

"Damn your traditions old man. I am the way of the future," the gang leader declared egoistically. As he was speaking the members of his gang brandished their weapons, mostly vibro-daggers and vibro-swords. Rachel cursed silently that she didn't have any weapons on her except for her small dagger hidden in her boot.

"If I want to take this woman and sell her on the slave market there's nothing you can do to stop me," Brejik threatened.

"I might have something to say about that," a cool cultured voice said. At the sound of the voice everyone turned and saw Bastila standing up in the cage and looking alert. The young Jedi used the Force to grab the guard and slam into the cage. Then using the Force she opened the cage and delivered a round house kick to the guard as he was struggling to stand.

"Impossible," Brejik said fearfully his hand dropping to his blaster, "You were restrained by a neural disruptor collar how could you possibly summon the willpower to free yourself."

"You underestimate the strength of a Jedi's mind," Bastila with an undercurrent of anger, "a mistake you won't live to regret."

Rachel physically flinched when she heard the Jedi's words. How stupid did you have to be to announce yourself as a Jedi on a system occupied by the Sith. Not only that but to announce yourself when the race and the aftermath was being broadcast to every of planet in and around the system.

Pulling the blade from her boot she launched forward at Brejik while all of the Vulkars' concentration was focused on Bastila. Rachel quickly crossed the distance as the Jedi Force pulled a double-bladed virbo sword from one of the guards and launch into a fearsome attack .

Plunging her blade into his throat Rachel left it there as she reached down and pulled his pistol from its holster. Using Brejik's so-to-be corpse as a shield Rachel blasted two of the gangsters in the back before they even knew what was going on. Dropping Brejik's rapidly cooling corpse Rachel scanned for more targets but they were all dead. Noticing something on Brejik's belt she reached down a grabbed it before realizing what it was, a lightsaber.

Bastila stood heaving from the sword dripping with blood she said, "That'll teach the bloody Vulkars not to try to keep a Jedi prisoner."

Suddenly Rachel felt Bastila's eyes upon her as the Jedi took several step in her direction, "As for you," the Jedi said raising her appropriated sword, "if you can collect me as a prize then, wait," Bastila's eyes went wide in reorganization, "you… were a mercenary on the Endar Spire-"

"Listen Jedi," Rachel started knowing that this place would be swarming with Sith troopers in a manner of minutes, "we've got to get the hell out of here!"

Frowning in indignation Bastila said hotly, "Now wait a minute I'm a Republic Fleet commander. I'm in charge here and you're under my command."

Scowling at Bastila's pretentious attitude Rachel took a step forward bringing her face within inches of the Jedi's own. To Rachel's surprise it was the Jedi that took a step back her eyes going wide and this time it was surprise in the but fear. Whatever it was the Jedi quickly buried it beneath her impassive mask.

"Listen princess, Carth and I have worked our asses off trying to find you," Rachel hissed in a low tone. The initially venom in her voice had been sapped by the Jedi confusing reaction, but it quickly returned, "If we stay her much longer the Sith will be all over us. So if you want to say here and be Malak's bitch then by all means stay. "

Bastila's face flushed in anger then she took several deep breaths to calm herself, "Your right I apologize and… Carth sent you he's a good soldier and wouldn't send you unless you knew what you were doing. Let us depart."

XXX

The planet Car'Nath was something of a ghost story among spacers. The planet had been a wealthy teeming world until nearly two hundred years ago when a terrible hive virus sweep through the planet's population. The virus resulted in insanity among the planet's population causing them to murder each other until the planet's drowned in blood. It was said that the souls of the damned still haunted that gods-forsaken world.

The stories caused nearly everyone to avoid the planet either out of fear of a curse or worry that the virus still existed. The planet's remoteness, its reputation and the fact that the virus had left the planets entire infrastructure intact made the planet the perfect location for the headquarters of the Black Hand.

The Black Hand headquarters were located in an abandoned mansion on the outskirts of one of the smaller cities. Located in the heart of the mansion sat the man in charge of the organization, the former Mandalorian General and super commando Jaster Skirta. Like the general himself the room was Spartan, only a few mementos of victorious campaigns hung on the walls. The General as he was more commonly referred was a veteran of the Mandalorian Wars and one of the first of the Mandalorians to swear loyalty to Revan as the new Mandalore and as Dark Lord of the Sith.

The General held no animosity towards Revan as one would expect of his people. Revan was the greatest warrior alive, perhaps even the greatest warrior who ever lived. There was no dishonor in serving her and the fact that Revan herself was Mandalorian born only made it better. The massed ranks of the Republic fell before them like wheat before the scythe; their strategies pathetic and their soldiers weak.

It was Revan's involvement that turned the tide for the beleaguered Republic. Her tactics and strategies had astounded Mandalore in their cunning and ferocity and driven the Mandalorians back. Yes the Mandalorians fell but by the hands of one of their own and in that time had made the galaxy tremble.

Sighing, the scarred General stood and walked over to the window and gazed upon the empty landscape wishing that Revan hadn't died. After Revan's death he truly gave thought to killing Malak for his betrayal. The reach of the Black Hand was long and he was sure that he could have killed the traitor, but reason had stayed his hand.

Revan was dead, but her dream lived on. To see the galaxy united under a single flag ready to defend against the dangers lurking beyond the rim. While Malak was not the ideal leader to maintain the empire, Jaster admitted that he was probably the only one of the Sith Lords capable of hold Revan's empire together. Sometimes he was torn between his need to avenge Revan's murder and the desire to hold her empire she died for together.

Deep in thought as he was the General was not as lost as not to hear the knocking, "Enter," he called out in a tone that carried the displeasure at the intrusion.

"General," came the aristocratic voice of Colonel Reinhardt Vankonis as he enter the general's office.

Vankonis was a career long intelligence officer, first with Republic Military Intelligence then as Revan's prime Intel officer both as a Republic General and later as a Sith Lord. The wily Intel man had made himself scarce after Revan's assassination fearing Malak's wrath.

Jaster had offered him a commission in the Black Hand equal to his grade in the Army, the Intel officer had little choice in the matter and now serve the Black had as its spymaster. It was a role he had settled into quite well. He'd been able to escape Malak's purge and in return Jaster got Reinhardt's intelligence contacts and connections inside the army's officer corps.

Knowing Reinhardt wouldn't disturbed him unless it was of vital importance Jaster allowed the intrusion to pass, "Yes Colonel you have something?"

"Yes General," he said as made his way over to the General's holo projector transferred several files from his datapad, "several hours ago Naval Intel picked up on the location of Bastila Shan on Taris," noticing the General's expression that said, 'that better not be all' he continued, "While I know Malak wants alive to attempt to turn her."

Bastila Shan was a topic the Jaster found overrated, on numerous times he had suggested that Malak should simply let that Hand kill her, but Malak would have none of it. He wanted her alive and on his side even though her real strategic benefit was negligible.

Revan's position on the brat was to let her live for the reason that Revan's power and martial skill largely negated the young Jedi's battle meditation. Plus Revan also on occasion mentioned she had something 'special' in mid for Bastila though she never shared the information.

"That's not why I wanted to tell to you," Reinhardt added bringing Jaster out of his thoughts. The Colonel then pressed a few buttons on the holo projector, "These images were taken by the cameramen at the Taris Season Opener. Apparently one of the local gangs, the Black Vulkars I believe, captured her and put her up for a prize."

"How humiliating," the leader of the Black Hand said sardonically. The imaged then changed as a fight broke out. However Jaster gaze wasn't drawn to the Jedi but to another figure, "Who is that?"

That question got a smile out of Reinhardt, "She is the reason I wanted to show this to you," pressing a few more keys the pictured enlarged and focused in on the second women's face.

In his life there were only three times the Jaster Skirta could truly say he had been this stunned, "This is impossible," he breathed glancing back from the holo to the Intel Officer as if to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

"Those were my words exactly General," Reinhardt replied, "I did the checking myself the feed is one hundred percent accurate."

Jaster sat back down in his chair and considered the ramification to the sight he had just seen. She was alive, but working with the Republic? That didn't make any sense, she hated the Republic, "Colonel find out if we have any assets on and get your most trustworthy man on the planet to make contact with her. Tell him to make sure nothing happens to her until we can figure this out."

"Yes General," officer said clicking his heels as he saluted, then turned and departed.

Jaster leaned back in his chair his eyes drawn to a single piece on his wall, the blood red mask with black stripes, the mask of Mandalore, the mask that only one person in the galaxy had the right to wear.

_Excerpt from Gurna Strata's __**History of the Mandalorian Clans**__:_

_The Mask of Mandalore,_

_The Mask of Mandalore is the most important relic of the Mandalorian race. The origins of the mask are murky and shrouded by time though there are several theories. The simplest and most widely accepted theory is that the mask belonged to the first Mandalore, the warrior whose name was actually Mandalore and who united the scattered warring clans on his home world. In his honor they renamed the planet Mandalore, themselves Mandalorians and declared that the leader of the clans shall always bear his name as a title. _

_Another more fanciful legend was that the Mask originally belonged to the Mandalorian God of War and that Mandalore was a warlord in the service of the God, but was betrayed. In an act of vengeance Mandalore fought and slew the God of War taking his mask and his throne for himself. Though this is a story the Mandalorians themselves don't even believe any more. _

_Becoming Mandalore is actually quite simple put the mask on your face, the hard part is keeping it. Mandalore must always be the strongest warrior in the Mandalorian Clans and more importantly he must have the respect or at least the fear of his warriors. According to Mandalorian law any Mandalorian of any stature, rank or sex may challenge the current Mandalore for his position unless in the middle of a battle. The problem is if the warrior wins he must have large enough support base so that others will not challenge him or her right away._

_When Lord Revan killed Mandalore the Ultimate at Malachor V and took the mask for herself she essentially became Mandalore. Normally Mandalorians wouldn't accept an outsider as their leader but what few people knew is that Revan herself was born a Mandalorian. _

_The Mask's location after Revan's death is still a mystery as its absence would under Mandalorian customs prevent any Mandalorian from becoming Mandalore and would therefore prevent the clans from ever forming the Mandalorian Empire again._


	4. Chapter 3: Taris Escape

**STAR WARS**

Chapter 3: Taris Escape

"Bastila thank the Force your all right. Now finally things are looking up," was the first thing out of Carth's mouth when Bastila and Rachel made their way into the apartment, "Now we can figure out how to get off Taris."

The Jedi's expression darkened, "You mean you don't even a plan to get off this planet. What have you been doing this whole time?"

Rachel balled her hands in anger trying to resist the notion to slug the Jedi, "We were trying to save your sorry ass," Rachel growled spitting of the last word like a curse.

Bastila scoffed and placing her hands on her ships she said, "I hardly needed rescuing. In fact you should thank me for saving you from those Vulkers."

"What," Rachel bit out.

"Yes," Bastila carried on heedless of Rachel's mounting temper, "Those thugs would have certainly killed you without my assistance. Now that I'm back in charge of this mission maybe things will start running more smoothly."

Rachel had heard enough and took several steps menacingly towards Bastila until Carth stepped in front of her. The last thing anyone of them should want was a fight and they needed go get off this word and as quickly as possible.

"Calm down Rachel," Carth said soothingly placing a hand on her shoulder.

Rachel sent a murderous glare at Bastila then looked back at Carth and seeing the pleading look on his face muttered, "Fine."

"You would do well to retrain your anger Mandalorian," the Jedi said in the sanctimonious tone most members of the Order seemed to possess, "it'll only get you into trouble."

"Maybe I like trouble," Rachel shot back.

"Rachel," Carth warned causing her to roll her eyes and back off. Then turning to Bastila, "I know your new this but a leader doesn't berate her troops just because things are going according to plan. Don't let your ego get in the way of the real issues here. "

A flicker of something flashed across the Jedi's face at the Captain's rebuke before it vanished and Bastila remarked, "That doesn't strike me as the appropriate way to speak to your commander Carth," the Jedi said hotly, "I am a member of the Jedi Order and this is my mission. Remember my battle meditation has saved the Republic countless times."

Rachel laughed coldly, "Please you're a glorified fireman, you plug up holes in the fronts and prevent Sith victories, you still haven't actually pushed them back."

Carth ignoring Rachel's remark continued, "Your abilities may win a few battle but it doesn't make you a good leader. People follow you because they have no choice not because they want to. A good leader listens to advice from those who have seen more combat that you ever will."

Bastila opened her mouth as if to argue then closed it then opened it again, "Your right I… apologize Carth this had been a difficult time for me and I will welcome your experience," Bastila said apologetically.

"Alright," Carth said ever the Republic Captain, "we can't get hung up on the chain of command right now. What we need to do is focus on is finding a solution."

"I agree," Bastila added, "perhaps we could find some useful information in one of the local cantinas." Then turning to Rachel, "I should apologize as well, I am grateful for your help Ms. Skirta."

Biting out a few choice curses in Mandalorian, "Rachel, its Rachel and it's alright I guess I was a bit… pissy when we first met. It's been a long week," Rachel admitted looking tired.

Pursing her lips Bastila ventured the question, "Are you not sleeping alright."

Rachel was about to tell the Jedi it was none of her business when she realized that Bastila was sincere in her question and there was something in her tone… Rachel shook it off before admitting, "I've been having… well nightmares really and the strangest thing is you're in a few of them."

Bastila frowned and again there was something about the way she looked… se looked far more interested than she shook as she said, "What are they about?"

"Well some are about you fighting a dark Jedi and Revan I guess," Rachel paused shaking her head, "The others are more complicated I think they're about Revan as a child strange as that sounds."

"This is strange," the Jedi said puzzled, "visions can often be a sign of force sensitivity."

"I'm a Mandalorian," Rachel said softly knowing that there were for whatever reason very few Force sensitives born amongst the Mandalorians.

"You're human… Rachel and even though your Mandalorian it's possible that you are Force sensitive," Bastila explained slowly and carefully as if she was be cautious about what exactly she said, "and the Force has a will of its own that we cannot always explain. Maybe a Jedi Master could better answer your questions."

"Hey Rachel were back," came the overly chipper voice of Mission Vao. Mission was followed closely as always by her Wookiee friend Zaalbar.

{Who is this?} Zaalbar barked.

Stepping forward, "I am Bastia Shan a padawan in the Jedi Order," Bastila said.

"A Jedi cool," Mission said her eyes wide.

"Carth, lets head over to the cantina and see if we and find anything new," Rachel said. Not wanting to have to listen to Mission as she started asking the Jedi questions; her mouth running a mile a minute.

Carth nodded and wordlessly holstered his pistols and slipped on his jacket, "Wait I'll come with you," Bastila added her eyes pleading with Rachel and Carth.

"That's not a good idea," Carth said with a shake of his head as Rachel repressed a snigger "Every Sith on the planet is after you. We're lucky we got you back here without them seeing you. We can't take the risk."

Bastila looked like she wanted to argue but either realizing that Carth was right or realizing that this was an argument that she couldn't win Bastila wordlessly sat back down and turned her attention back to Mission.

The moment Carth and Rachel stepped outside the apartment they were greeted by a green twi'lek, "You human," the alien said pointing at Rachel, "You were the one that won the great swoop race, right?"

Her hand on her blaster she admitted, "Yes that was me."

"Your kinsman Canderous Ordo hired me to bring a message to you," the Twi'lek said nervously noticing that both Rachel and Carth had their hands on their weapons, "he wants you to meet him in the cantina here in this part of the upper city."

"Why," Carth asked suspiciously.

"I do not know though given that he is Davik's chief enforcer I would not keep him waiting," Twi'lek finished then took off running in the opposite direction.

"We're seriously not going to go meet him are we," Carth asked.

Sighing Rachel said, "The twi'lek is right Canderous has connections and I think it would be worth it."

XXX

Rachel was the first to spot the big Mandalorian sitting at the far back of the cantina with his back against the wall. Nudging Carth in his direction they made their way over and sat at the table.

"You didn't have to bring the Republic," Canderous said in Mandalorian.

Rachel stared at the big Mandalorian who was looking back at her with… a strange look on his face. He wasn't evaluating her… she'd seen that look before, but this wasn't it. It looked as if he was… remembering or trying to remember or something. In a way it was similar to the look Bastila had been given her.

Putting it behind her she responded in Basic, "Speak basic, 'Republic,'" she said throwing a glance at Carth, "doesn't speak Mandoa. Now you said you wanted to see me."

Leaning forward the big Mandalorian said, "I saw you in the swoop race… very impressive you know how to get results. You're just the kind of person I'm looking for."

"For what," Rachel asked curious taking the seat across from him.

"As you probably already know my names Canderous Ordo and I work for Davik Chang and the Exchange," he said mentioning one of the most notorious criminal organizations in the galaxy, "the hours aren't great but they promised me a fortune to work for them."

Rachel grinned guessing where this was going, "And with the blockade they haven't been able to pay you," knowing that cheating a Mandalorian was a stupid thing to do.

"Exactly," Canderous said, "So I figure its time to break the blockade and get off this world."

"That's insane," Carth said speaking up, "The Sith will blast anything trying to leave."

Rachel frowned the Sith would have certainly have enough ships in orbit to shot down anything that tried to leave… unless, "We need the launch codes that allow the Sith to travel on and off the planet."

Canderous nodded and Carth said incredulously, "You have them?"

"No, that's where you come in I need you to break into the Sith base and steal the launch codes. Everyone knows I work for Davik and if I did it the Sith would storm Davik's compound to get them back."

"Why does it seem we're doing all the leg work," Rachel questioned leaning back in the chair.

"If you get me the codes I can help you steal Davik's private ship the Ebon Hawk one of the fastest ships in the galaxy. You can keep it or ransom back I don't care. Get me the codes and she's yours,' Canderous finished laying out his plans.

"I still don't like this storming a Sith military base, we could be up against hundreds of soldiers," Carth argued pointing out the danger.

"I don't think so Carth, "Rachel said with sudden realization that this plan could be their best chance for getting off this gods forsaken planet, "The Sith know now for sure Bastila's here they've probably got hall hands out looking for her. The base will probably have only a skeleton crew by now."

"That makes sense," Carth admitted.

"Alright Canderous you have a deal on the condition we get to bring a few friends with us on the way," Rachel said holding her hand out.

"Agreed," Canderous said reaching out and griping her forearm in a Mandalorian handshake, "There's a droid shop that will have a unit capable of breaching the Sith's security measures. It's already paid for just tell'm Canderous sent you."

XXX

Two hours later they were all ready to go. The plan was for the droid T3-M4 would open the security lock on the door and then Rachel, Carth, Bastila and Zaalbar would enter. While they were doing that Mission and T3-M4, whom Mission had taken to calling T3, would hack the computers and keep the Sith from calling for help and keep any security droids from activating.

Sighing Rachel hoped everything would work but alas as the saying went, 'No plan survived contact with the enemy.' Suddenly T3 beeped signaling that the door was now open, "Here goes nothing," she muttered under her breath wondering how the hell she had come to be in charge.

As planned Zaalbar was first through the door as few things were as terrifying as a Wookiee with a bowcaster, with Rachel, Bastila and Carth in next, followed by Mission and T3 bringing up the rear.

Thankfully no one was shooting yet, the only person in the reception was a single yellow skinned Twi'lek who currently held her arms up in the air in surrender, " Please don't hurt me," she sobbed, "I'm not a Sith I just work here they won't let me quit."

A part of Rachel, the cold logical part in the back of her mind told her to kill the woman to prevent any chance of them being discovered prematurely, but another part told her that she should let her go. Shaking off her mental war Rachel gestured to the door, "Get out and don't make a peep."

The woman nodded furiously and bolted out the door. Once she was gone Rachel said, "Alright ladies and gentlemen of all species it's time to get this show on the road. Zaalbar take point and look scary. When need to head down this corridor to reach the computer core."

"How can you know that," Carth questioned curiously.

In truth Rachel didn't know she just… felt, but the others especially Carth wouldn't like that answer so she came up with a more reasonable one, "It's an army base I spent a lot of time on army bases and they're all the same. Let's move."

The team slowly and carefully moved their way down through the hall. As the did Rachel found herself thanking the Force or whatever gods are out there that Sith security was as lax as it was.

They managed to make it through the hall and to the computer core without triggering any alerts, so good so far. Once they were at the large blast door that said 'Computer Core,' the stopped and waited for Rachel to flash them the signal.

Rachel readied her carbine and took a deep breath to ready herself. Then she reached out and slapped the open control on the door. The moment the door slid open Zaalbar gave a mighty Wookiee war cry as he, Rachel, Carth and Bastila rushed into the room, the latter of which ignited her double bladed saber and twirled it in an intricate pattern.

In the computer core there was six technicians and two guards on duty when the team busted in, "Freeze hands up," Rachel shouted as she pointed her weapons at one of the shiny Sith troopers.

The Sith in the room were so startled that they didn't even have time to drawn or reach for their weapons and obeyed the command.

"Who they hell are you," asked the watch officer who had his hands raised.

"No one's damn business," Rachel shot back, "you two," she continued pointing her rifle at the senior guard, "drop your weapons and remove your armor."

The lead guard took one look around at all the weapons pointed at him and slowly nodded. Then both guards slowly drew their side-arms and threw them at Rachel's feet and then started removing their armor piece by piece. Once they were standing in their body suits, the lead soldier said, "What now."

Rachel switched her carbine from 'kill' to 'stun' and shot both guards before they even had a chance to yell. One of the technicians leapt towards the alarm when Zaalbar took two large steps and grabbed the technician by the scruff of his neck hoisted him off the ground and let loose a defeating roar. The foolhardy technician turned pale and promptly fainted.

"What… what are you…you going to do to us," one of the other technicians muttered.

Rachel wasn't about to kill unarmed prisoners, "Tie'em up and lock'em in the utility closest," she told Zaalbar and Carth.

Zaalbar went over and slung the two Sith troopers over his massive shoulders and then headed over and threw them in the closet. At the same time Rachel and Carth went over and tied the two still conscious technicians hands together and started moving them towards the closet, "It would be easier to simply shoot them," Carth said, "their traitors anyway."

Sighing Rachel realized he was right to a degree, "It'd be simpler but it wouldn't be right, besides I don't like to kill people unless they give me a reason," she finished with a savage smile.

"I agree with Rachel," Bastila said as she shut down her saber, "These men have surrendered killing them now would be murder."

Rachel blinked, the Jedi was agreeing with her, "Maybe we should kill'em," she said humorously as they shoved them in the closet.

Suddenly Mission poked her head in the door, "It safe to come in yet," she asked.

"And if it wasn't," Rachel said dryly then added, "never mind Mission, T3 get in here and get to work.

As the pair moved into the room and Rachel and Zaalbar took guard positions at each of the entries, Mission said, "You know Rach you can kinda be pissy sometimes." Mission made her way over to the computer and logged in, "Sweeeet," she said in awe.

"What is it," came Carth's quick response.

"The Sith didn't have time to lock out the systems every mission report every defensive system, ever camera in the base is right here," Mission said cracking her knuckles and returning to typing.

"Quick find the launch codes," Rachel said checking to make sure there wasn't a whole platoon of Sith charging at them.

T3 beeped a sad sounding tone and swiveled his head round, "Damn it what do you mean they aren't here," Rachel swore, "They have too."

"T3's right," Mission said franticly typing on the keyboard, "It's not in the main computer."

"If we cannot find the codes we should leave before the Sith patrols return," Bastila said.

Rachel found herself desperately thinking of any other place the codes might be and couldn't think of any place until a stray thought it her. The Sith would install Dark-Force users to act as governors and most recently conquered planets and while Taris was several years conquered with the hunt for Bastila raging it was possible Malak had another Dark Jedi installed as a temporary governor.

"Bastila, you Jedi can tell when other Jedi or Dark Jedi are around right," Rachel said hoping she was right.

"Normally I would be able to but I am trying to hide my presence at the moment so no," Bastila said curiously, "Why do you ask."

"Where are you going with this Rachel," said Carth.

"If the Sith installed a Dark Jedi governor then the codes will probably with him as opposed to the main computer," Rachel argued.

As she spoke Bastila slowly nodded her head, "Yes it makes sense but its risky if I try to find him he could easily find me and…"

"That would be real bad," Mission finished sarcastically.

"Let's check out the governor's quarters, Mission can you pull up a schematic," Rachel said looking back at Mission.

"Sure thing," the alien girl said beginning to type away at the keyboard, "it's accessed at the end of the hall and one level down."

Rachel quickly gave the situation a few moments of consideration then said, "Zaalbar stay with Mission and T3 and start downloading everything you can. Carth, Bastila we'll go get the codes."

She started out then turned back, "and Mission try to shut down the security droids between us and the Governor's Quarters."

"Sure thing," the girl said.

XXX

Five minutes later Rachel, Carth and Bastila stood at the entrance to the Sith Governor's quarters, "I'll go first," Bastila said bringing up her saber.

The door to the chamber slide open and in the center of the room sat a man dressed in the black robes of a Dark Jedi. The Dark Jedi stood menacing, "Who dares interrupt my-" he started to say as he turned around, "Bastila," the Dark Jedi said as he broke into a vicious smile, "Well, well, well my Lord Malak will reward me richly for bringing you to him."

"You shall never get that chance," Bastila said confidently igniting her saberstaff.

The fallen Jedi in turn ignited his own saber producing a crimson blade though as he noticed Rachel the grin seemed to slip of his face and was replace with an odd sense of similarity. Rachel noticed his look but before she could say anything Bastila launched into a furry of attacks.

As the two force users engaged in the duel Carth raised his blasters and fired off a few rounds at the Dark Jedi, "Carth no," Rachel shouted as he shot.

As expected the dark Jedi deflected the blaster bolts right back at him and then threw a force wave at Carth throwing him back into the call. Cursing Rachel grabbed the vibro sword resting on a rack and leapt into the fray.

Most people who leapt into a fight with a Dark Jedi would be quickly cut down. Rachel herself was amazed at how well she fought. It was as if she knew what going to happen before it did was and she knew this fight was almost over.

Her and Bastila launched into a flurry of attacks pushing the fallen Jedi back, forcing him to retreat and given ground beneath their relentless assault. Suddenly the Dark Jedi dropped back a look of desperation etched onto his pale face.

Rachel felt a cold sense of dread fill her senses and the air seemed to become charged with electrical static. Suddenly Rachel knew what was about to happen. The Dark Jedi thrust out his free hand and a storm of blue light lightening flew out towards Rachel and Bastila.

If someone was to ask her in the next moment exactly what she did she wouldn't have been able to answer. Seeing the lightening being thrown at her Rachel instinctually raised her hand. The Dark Force engery was redirected in to her hand where it formed a glowing pulsating ball of dark energy… and then she threw it back.

The Dark Jedi was far too stunned t realized what had happen that his own attack had been thrown back at him. The redirected Force energy slammed into the Dark Jedi catching his flesh on fire and cooking him from the inside out. Almost comically at the moment the sprinkler system detecting a fire activated.

Bastila stood looking at Rachel. Redirecting the Force in such a manner is something beyond the abilities of most Jedi Masters it was something only the most powerful members of the Order could accomplish.

"What the hell just happened," Rachel growled as the artificial rain poured from the ceiling. Bastila still in shock shook her head in ignorance. Pointing a finger at her Rachel said, "Where going to talk about this," with an accusatory tone as she glanced down at her smoking hand.

As her own shock and fear faded Rachel realized something, "Carth," said with an underline of fear in her voice as she rushed over to the fallen Republic Captain.

"Please don't be dead," she repeated over and over and she reached out to check his pulse and she sighed in relief as she found it still beating strong and steady.

Bastila made her way over to Carth and Rachel announcing, "I got the codes from the foot locker."

"Good, now help be carry him," Rachel said as she threw Carth's arm around her shoulder and Bastila did the same. Supporting him in between them they started to drag their friend back up top and hopefully get out of the Sith Base more reinforcements arrived.

XXX

On the bridge of the orbiting _Leviathan_ Darth Malak stood, hands clasped behind his back as he stared at the surface of Taris, searching for… something. He had sensed a presence in the Force, a powerful presence and one decidedly familiar. As the Dark Lord stood studying Taris Admiral Saul Karath came up behind him and there the Admiral stood until Lord Malak was ready to acknowledge him.

"Admiral," Malak's mechanical voice boomed.

Bowing at the waist the Admiral responded respectfully, "You summon me Lord Malak."

"The search for Bastila is taking too long," the dark Lord said crossing his arms over his chest and continuing to stare at the planet, "Destroy the entire planet."

"Th-the entire planet Lord Malak," the Admiral questioned too shocked to remember proper protocol, "but there are billions of people on Taris. We'd be slaughter countless innocent civilians, not to mention our own men still on the planet," Karath pleaded.

Malak wheeled about, his sulfurous eyes ablaze with anger. Karath retreated a few steps and could feel the presents of Malak's force grip resting on his throat, "Your predecessor once made the mistake of questioning my orders. I trust…" Malak led the contradictory word hang out as the Dark Lord trusted no one, "you are not so foolish as to make the same mistake?"

Karath gulped and not from the noose around his throat as grizzly images of his predecessor, one of Revan's best field Admirals, who had out right refused to carry out an order to raise and entire world to ashes. Malak had bisected him with his saber and the two halves of his body shot out the airlock.

Swiftly backing away his arms raised in a placating gesture, "Of course not my Lord Malak I will do as you command but it will take several hours to position the fleet."

"Then I suggest you begin immediately," Malak snarled, "You are dismissed Admiral," Malak finished and returned to staring out the main viewport.

"Yes Lord Malak," Karath said bowing and scurrying away. Catching sight of the Captain, Karath ordered, "Captain how long will it take to position the fleet to planetary bombardment positions."

The Captain looked shocked but was wise enough not to say anything about it, "About an hour sir," he responded.

"Now listen closely," the Admiral said, "I want to run a fleet wide check of all turbo laser, anti starfighter laser cannons and point defensive systems before the bombardment can begin. How long will that take."

Running the calculations in his head the Captain responded, "Maybe up to three hours sir."

Sighing Karath said, "I want you to begin withdrawing all ground based units as well as any naval personnel on shore leave and for frack's sake do it quietly," the Admiral cursed. "I'll be retiring to my quarters you have the bridge Captain.

"Yes Sir."

Admiral Saul Karath watched the Captain walk away and wished not for the first time that Lord Revan was still alive. Under her they had a noble purpose and not a position of wanton distraction. Chuckling under his breath he made his way to his quarters and poured himself a glass of Correlian brandy and had himself a drink.

XXX

Rachel sat at one of the booths in the far back of the dirty little cantina where Canderous had told her to meet him when she had the codes. Rachel sat with her back against the wall and her side arm lying on the table, to discourage any of the underworld scum from looking to her for a quick frack, as she nursed her drink and waited for Canderous.

As she nursed her drink she let her mind wander to what happen in the fight with the governor. After they had got Carth to Doctor Forn who told her Carth only had a mild concussion and gave him something to speed up the recovery, she had nearly dragged Bastila into the back room of their apartment and had her explain what happened.

Her explanation was weak and she could only theorize. According to Bastila, Rachel possessed enormous strength in the Force. It something Rachel would have laughed at before today. But something that she couldn't refute was that her power had instinctually manifested itself when she was in danger. However Bastila admitted she really didn't know what happened and only the Masters could explain.

Thankfully she didn't have to wait long for Canderous to arrive and take a seat across from her. "I heard about an incident at the Sith Base; their security was breached and the governor killed," he pause, "I hope that was you."

"Guilty as charged," Rachel said with a shrug as she slid the codes across the table, "Now what happens?"

Taking the data chip Canderous pulled it into his data pad and made a copy before sliding the chip back to Rachel, "I'll take you to Davik, the local exchange boss and say I scouted you and believe you would make a good addition to the organization."

"You can do that," Rachel asked skeptically.

"I'm Daviks top gun," he said if that was all the answer she needed, "and once in it should be child's play to steal the ship."

"Alright lets go."

The two Mandalorians left the cantina and made their way to Canderous air speeder. As Canderous took off Rachel leaned back in the seat and did what most seasoned soldiers did when they had time to kill; take a quick nap.

When they are arrived a Davik's palace Canderous woke Rachel up and took her straight to Davik. The pompous, arrogant and lecherous crime lord was lying on several cushions with two scantily clad slave girls feeding and pawing him. Canderous quickly explained what was going on.

"Well, well, well Canderous I must admit this is intriguing, if a do say so myself. You usually prefer to work along," Davik said with a tone of mild curiosity colored only with the slightest hint of suspicion as he ran his liver-spotted hand down the back of one of the slaves.

Another man the famed bounty hunter-slash-assassin Calo Nord sneered, "It's not like you to take on a partner Canderous. What you getting soft in your old age."

Canderous growled and pointed a finger a Calo, "Watch yourself pipsqueak you may be the newest Kath hound in the pack but you aren't top dog yet," the Mandalorian warned menacingly.

Calo visibly seethed at the remark and his hand dropped to his holster weapon, "Enough," Davik warned, "I won't have my top two men killing each other. Its bad business; I sure Canderous has a reason he's working with such a beautiful woman," Davik said sleazily undressing Rachel with his eyes.

Rachel was disgusted as she saw the crime bosses eyes swept up and down her body and had to restrain herself from strangling him with her bare hands. Canderous spoke up quickly and Rachel was slightly thankful or see might have beat the bastard to death, "This is a special case Davik. I ran into some the Exchange may want to recruit. You may have already heard of her exploits."

"Ah yes," the crime lord said a glint of recognition coming to his eyes, "now I recognize your companion the rider you won the big swoop race, very impressive as was your little show afterwards."

Letting venom creep into her voice Rachel said, "Brejik had to learn double crosses tend to end up end."

"Very true you be surprise how many people don't understand that, but we have more important things to discuss," Davik said pulling on a robe and standing up, "With a recommendation from Canderous and a thorough background check you could become a member of the Exchange, many would kill for such an honor."

"Sounds promising," Rachel said lying through her teeth.

"Come I shall give you a tour of my operations."

The tour lasted a least an hour as Davik showed Rachel all over the compound. He showed her the storage area, the spice room, the main control center and finally the hanger. When they entered the private hanger the room's only occupant was a light freighter, a smuggling vessel of a type she'd never seen before.

"Ahh there she is," Davik said proudly like a parent talking about their child, "The Ebon Hawk my pride and joy. She's the fastest ship in the Outer-Rim, had to have her custom made so she's the only one in existence. Note the state of the art security system I've had installed to protect her. The shields are completely impregnable so no one can get past them without the codes and try to steal my baby," frowning Davik continued more somberly, "unfortunatly the Sith Military Blockade as her grounded as not even she could get past the blockade. However I am currently attempting to… appropriate the codes. Now let's get you a room."

Outside the hanger he led her to the guest wing. Opening one of the doors revealed a comfortable and richly decorated room, "These will be you quarters, the slave quarters are down the hall if you need anything during your stay. However I must warn you attempt to leave this wing or disturb any of my other guests, my guards," he said speaking to the burly thuggish guards she had seen on the tour, "will deal with you most severely."

As he turned to leave he added, "One more thing dinner is at six o'clock and I have provided an outfit for you to wear. I trust you will attend it would please me greatly," and he left with the door closing behind him.

Rachel walked over to the bed and nearly gagged as she saw the 'outfit' Davik provided was two little pieces of cloth nearly as skimpy as the clothing the slave girls wore and covered just as much. Swearing out load Rachel thought that wearing that would probably get her arrested on most worlds and she swore to herself she would be out of here before dinner.

Feeling stressed she decided to head to the slave quarters to see if she could get a massage and possibly some information while she waited for Canderous to make contact. The slave quarters were actually very nice looking with steaming hot tubs, food etc.

"How may we serve you Mistress," one of the male slaves said approaching her, "would you care for some succulent fruits and berries, a relaxing bath or massage."

"I'll take a massage," Rachel said.

"If you'll follow me Mistress," the slave said and he led her to a back room with a massage table all set up.

Rachel unbuckled her armored and piled in the corner of the room along with her weapon, politely refusing any help from the slave. Once she was down to her sports bra and shorts she climbed onto the table and laid chest down.

Rachel breathed a sigh of pleasure as the slave worked over her body. She had to admit he was good at his job as he worked out all the knots and tenseness that had built up over her stay on Taris. As much as Rachel was enjoying his ministrations she had to remind herself that she had work to do, "So anything instructing happen around her recently," she managed.

"I do not know much Mistress we are kept in these quarters day and night," the slave said but Rachel could tell he was lying by the slight tremor in his voice.

"Certainly you know soothing," she pressured, "maybe other guests have said something and you've overheard. Tell me and I'll make sure Davik knows how much you please me," Rachel said dangling the bait.

The slave stopped his massage and licked his lips, "Praise from the guests is a high commodity and Davik rewards those slave who pleases his guests. I don't know much but I overheard the quests say that Hurdo got caught stealing spice and was thrown in the torture chamber. Normally he would be allowed to get away with it because he's the Master personal pilot, but since the blockade he hasn't gotten any special treatment. That's all I know."

Smiling Rachel said, "I make sure Davik knows how talented you are."

The slave resumed his massage and said, "Thank you mistress."

Once the massage was over Rachel dressed and made her way back to her quarter bumping into Canderous on the way there, "Canderous we need to talk," and she ushered him into the room.

"I think I know where we can get the codes to the Ebon Hawk's security system," Rachel said.

"Really," Canderous intoned crossing his arms over his chest, "I've been working on getting them for a couple of weeks. Where do you think we can get'em."

Rachel quickly told him what the slave told her, "Alright then lets go," Canderous said readying his weapon a viscous looking blaster cannon.

Holding up her hands she said, "I have a better Idea , if I go out with you we'll have to fight our way through and in order for this little heist to work Davik can't know whats going on till the last second."

Canderous nodded in agreement seeing where she was going, "I on the other could make it to the torture chamber get the information and get back without causing too many question."

"Exactly."

"Alright I'll be back in a few minutes and be ready to fight when I get here," Canderous said gruffly.

"Where Mandalorian fighting's in our blood," she paired.

Once Canderous was gone Rachel sat down and in a trait learned from her time in the Commandos ran a check on all her weapons and armor, striping and cleaning them in order to ensure the best possible performance.

XXX

Admiral Saul Karath stood nervously on the bridge of the _Leviathan. _Every few minutes he glance at Lord Malak for the Dark Lord was becoming increasingly impatient, not that he had much patience to begin with.

"What's that status of our units on Taris, Captain," he whispered, so far he had delayed the bombardment over three hours but his time was nearly up.

"We've removed close to twelve divisions' worth of men and material but we still have close to a hundred thousand men on the surface you have to give me more time," the Captain whispered.

"No, Lord Malak is insistent the attack must begin," Saul said sadly

"But Sir," the Captain protested.

"Put ten minutes on the clock, it's all I can do," the Admiral said standing back up and taking one last look at the planet that would soon die.

XXX

Rachel and Canderous cut their way through Davik's place with the brutal efficiency that only Mandalorians could achieve. They had left a trail of bodies in their wake, a deadly testament to their martial skill.

Slamming a fresh powerpack into her carbine Rachel rounded the corner and put two clean bursts into two more of Davik's guards, "Nice kill," was Canderous reply, the Mandalorian way of saying 'good job.'

However if Rachel heard him she didn't answer something inside her was gnawing away at her insides telling her to get the hell of Taris, run, move faster, leave. Suddenly four more guards come around the corner at the end of the hallway, right where they needed to go, and began shooting.

Canderous didn't even aim he just pointed his cannon in the right direction and depressed the firing stud. The gun made to take out light vehicles' roared to life spitting out over a hundred ruby red blaster bolts in the half dozen seconds it was activated. The guards never stood a chance.

Suddenly both Mandalorian were knocked off their feet and fell to the ground, "What the hell was that," Rachel yelled as there was another explosion.

Canderous suddenly swore vehemently.

"What, what is it," Rachel yelled as another explosion went off.

Canderous stood up and helped Rachel to her feet, "It's a turbolaser blast, a naval turbolaser."

Rachel's comprehension began apparent as her eyes went wide and they both took off down the hall and into the hanger way.

Once in the Bay they found themselves face to face and gun to gun with Calo Nord and Davik. Caught in a Corellian standoff, Davik his face flush with and or fear said, "Well, well, well thieves in the Hanger figured you steal my baby and leave me high and dry as the Sith destroy Taris. Sorry that aint gonna happen."

A cold grin on his face Calo growled, "Let me take care of them Davik," then speaking directly to Canderous, "I've been waiting for this for a long time, you Bastard."

Rachel winced, A Bastard was the worst insult you could call a Mandalorian, it implies one does not now their own parentage or are illegitimate… and family is everything to a Mandalorian. That taunt was a challenge and a stain to Canderous's honor and he would need to clean that stain with Calo's blood.

Glancing nervously around Davik said, "Make it quick Calo the Sith mean business if we don't get of here and find somewhere the bombs their dropping will kill us all," and if to punctuated his last statement the ground shook with a massive explosion that knocked everyone off balance.

Seeing an opportunity Rachel lunged forward colliding into Davik and knocking him to the floor. The fight couldn't be more lopsided on one hand Rachel was young, still the young side of twenty-five, a Mandalorian and a former Republic commando

Davik on the other hand was nearly sixty had hadn't fought personally since he became head of the Taris branch of the Exchange and it showed for several seconds into the fight Rachel already had him in a head lock and he could fel her chocking off his air supply, "Wait," he pleaded his voice raspy from lack of air, "I can offer you anything money, ships, slaves anything pleases don't kill me."

"Anything," Rachel asked and the crime lord nodded and Rachel seemed to ponder his question, "What I want is you dead," and with a savage snap she broke his neck.

At the same time Canderous bull rushed forward slamming the butt of his cannon into Calo's face, causing it to gush blood and knocking him to the floor. Calo however was not as easily put down as Davik and kicked out with his leg taking Canderous's legs out from under him and the big Mandalorian fell with a 'thud'.

Calo rolled to his right and swiftly stood up looking for a weapon when Canderous caught him in the face with a right hook. It became obvious that Calo was a gunslinger as Canderous manhandled him, beating his face to a bloody pulp. Calo managed to get free just long enough to pull a thermal detonator from his jacket, "If I'm gonna die I gonna take you with me," he said sneering through his ruined face.

When Rachel saw Calo reach for the detonator she pulled out her side arm and aimed it right at his head. Calo saw this and said, "You shoot me we all die. This thing is set on a dead man switch."

Canderous retrieved his weapon and he and Rachel stood aiming their weapons right at Calo. Slowly Calo reached for his gun and then a turbo laser hit the hanger causing the roof to fall in on a screaming Calo.

Not bother to check if he's dead the pair made a run for the ship, "Canderous," Rachel called out, "Take the ship to these coordinates," she said tossing up a data ship, her head hurt so bad she could barely stand let alone fly.

Rachel stumbled back to the entrance ramp her head was screaming or more correctly she could hear screaming in her head. Vaguely she heard Canderous yell over the intercom to open up the hatch. Pressing the button slumped down against the wall and curled up in a ball.

The ramp lowered hissing as it did and Carth, Bastila and Zaalbar, the latter of which was carrying a near hysterical Mission in his arms. As Carth came aboard he notice Rachel slumped in the corner.

Grabbing Bastila who looked like she was in a daze he yelled, "Go tell Canderous to get out of here." Then closing the ramp he dropped down to where Rachel was curled up, "Rachel, Rachel what's wrong."

Looking up at Carth her cheeks streaked with tears and crying she mumbled, "Make them stop, make the stop."

Reaching down and wrapping her in his arms he questioned, "Stop who Rachel."

"The voices Carth, they're screaming, so loud," she screamed and started banging her head against the wall

Frightened by her behavior and to keep her from hurting herself he scooped her up in arms and brought her to the cockpit, "Bastila get over here," he yelled.

Bastila ran over and grasped Rachel's head in her hand, "Force," she cursed.

"What," Carth said generally afraid of losing this woman he had come to care about.

"Lay her down Carth," Bastila said and Carth complied, "It's my fault she's very strong in the Force you see."

"What," Carth muttered confused, Rachel was Force sensitive.

"A Jedi or a Sith for that matter can feel death on the Force and it can be very painful for a untrained mind," she said with pity as Rachel squirmed on the floor in terrible pain.

"Can you anything to help her," Carth asked worriedly.

"Republic," Canderous yelled, "get your ass up here and fly this damn thing," Canderous yelled as the ship was rocked by a laser cannon blast."

"Go Captain, I cannot help her is the ship is shot out from under us," Bastila said. Grabbing Rachel's head she closed her eyes and focused. Slowly Rachel stilled and blinked through tear swollen eyes, "Rachel hear me and listen you have to fight, create a wall in your mind, push them back."

Taking deep breaths Rachel focused on Bastila's words. Slowly she created a wall in her mind and began to push back all the death and pain or at least enough so she could function, "What happened," she groaned weekly.

"A Jedi or a Sith for that matter can feel death on the Force and what you where feeling was the millions… the billions on Taris screaming out as the died," Bastila repeated mournfully.

Rachel looked horrified, "But I'm not a…"

"I know," Bastila said answering Rachel's question before she finished asking it, "but your strength in the Force is very great so you must have been able to feel it without being formally trained."

Before Rachel argued the ship rocked again and Canderous rushed out of the cockpit, "Hey Skirta if your feel better get or ass up to the lower gun turret and I'll take the top. Let's hope your boytoy is as good of a pilot as he say's he is."

Letting the remark about Carth being her boytoy slide she shakily stood and ran down towards the belly turret and strapped herself in.

XXX

Admiral Saul Karath looked out over the burning planet that was once Taris. Approaching Lord Malak he waited to be acknowledged and once he was he said, "Taris is defenseless against are assault Lord Malak," he said trying force the bile in his throat back down, "they are offering no resistance, the city is in ruins."

"Resume the bombardment Admiral," Malak said with a large sweeping gesture, "Wipe this pathetic planet from the face of the galaxy."

Hesitating only a second Karath muttered a, "Yes milord," and walked away. As he made his way to the fire control stations where he would order the continued genocide of Taris one of his officers caught up with him.

"Admiral," he said saluting.

"Yes Lieutenant," the Admiral questioned.

"Sir I thought I should bring this to your attention," the Lieutenant said nervously, "a freighter just exited Taris atmosphere. At first I thought it was one of ours but its making a straight line for the edge of the gravity well not any of our ships."

Interested Karath said, "Did it transmit the launch code."

"Yes sir but its behavior is irregular to say the least," the young man replied

Karath was about to dismiss it when he suddenly remembered something, a few hours ago someone had broken into the Sith base and killed the Governor so it was possible they had the launch codes. Karath ordered the CAP, combat air patrol, to intercept.

Watching the holographic display he saw the fighter's engage the freighter and promptly be destroyed and before he could give another order the ship leapt into hyperspace.

XXX

On board the Ebon Hawk the crew minus Mission and Zaalbar the first of which was mourning for her world and the latter helping her do so, sat in the 'conference' room discussing their plans.

"So where are we heading Bastila," Carth said still furious over the destruction of Taris mostly because of the memories it brought up of the destruction of his own world Telos.

"Dantooine," she replied evenly.

All heads shot to stare at her most expressing disbelief and Canderous was the first to answer, "All the excitement must have gone to your head girl there's nothing on Dantooine. It's a damn farm planet."

Bastila shook her head, "No Dantooine is the location of a Jedi enclave we will be safe there," she reiterated.

"Wait a second," Rachel said holding up her hands, "how secret can this place still be. Revan and Malak were former Jedi wouldn't they have known about this place."

"It doesn't matter," Bastila argued, "Dantooine is home to several of the most powerful Jedi Masters in the Order. Even Malak would think twice about attacking there," then Bastila continued in a softer tone, "Plus Dantooine is a place of spiritual and mental healing and I think we all could use some of that."

Carth and Canderous still looked ready to argue but Rachel interrupted by standing up. Taking a deep breath she said, "Bastila I have doubts about this, but… I owe you my life or more importantly my sanity. So I'll trust."

Bastila bowed her head, "Thank you."

With Rachel's support both Canderous and Carth agreed. Canderous got up and left to go clean his weapons in the garage and Bastila went to meditate leaving Carth and Rachel alone.

Standing up Rachel said to Carth, "I'm going go and see if I can help Mission at all, poor kid." Then leaving over and grabbing Carth's hand she pleaded, "I'd like you to come with me. You could probably help her more than I can."

Carth realized she was right after his wife and son's death he had allowed the hate to consume him revenge had been his only concern, at least until he met Rachel. Not wanting Mission to go through that he agreed.

XXX

On the planet Car'Nath in the Headquarters of the Black Hand General Jaster Skirta was beside himself with rage and his office showed it. His desk as overturned his chair had been hurled against the wall and papers and data pads were strewn all over the floor.

"That Fool," Jaster yelled slamming his fist into the wall and letting out a line of curses about Malak's parentage that would have made a Hutt blush. "Does that dikat have any idea what this could cost us?"

Colonel Reinhardt Vankonis could only nod in agreement. Revan had all ways been very particular about the 'hearts and minds' of the Galaxy at large. When she had been in command the Sith had had the popular support of the populace and the Republic was the enemy; the corrupt system that must be dismantled. Malak brutal tactics could… had changed everything.

Calming down the Black Hand General asked, "Did she make it off the planet."

Reinhardt nodded; at least they had some good news. "Yes sir according to our agent they managed to get off planet just as the attack began."

"Good, good," the General said, "you have the information I asked for."

"Of course sir," Reinhardt said pulling out a manila folder. "Form the security footage we managed to pull out of the sector 097 army base on Taris, I've managed to identify most of her companions."

Handing the general a set of pictures he started, "That as you know is the Jedi Bastila Shan. Next we have Mission Vao, a Tarisian street urchin. What I pulled from her police jacket is that she's a petty thief, though quite a skilled hacker. Next the Wookiee is an unknown. However it is worthy to note the few Wookies leave their homeworld anymore by choice. Finally we have this man, Captain-"

But Jaster interrupted his Intel chief, "Captain Carth Onasi a decorated Republic War Hero and one of their finest officers," Jaster smirked it was rarely he got to surprise the aristocratic officer.

"You know him?"

Nodding slowly he handed the pictures back to Reinhardt, " In the Mandalorian Wars the man blew my ship out from under me over Eros III and I returned the favor at the battle of the Hidan Way. He could case a lot of trouble."

"Do we have any Idea where there headed?"

Reinhardt shrugged, "Nothing definitive, though if I were them I'd run for the nearest Republic Naval base; perhaps Ord Mantell or Corellia even."

"No," the General said, "If Onasi were in charge perhaps, but it's the Jedi Bastila who will be calling the shots so they'll head to a Jedi base, an enclave perhaps. I doubt Bastila would take her to the Temple because it'd run the risk of her being recognized."

Reinhardt nodded the General theory was sound, "I'll put my team on finding the location of every surviving Jedi enclave and a priority rating to go with them," Reinhardt hesitated then continued, "Sir, so far everything we've found out is out there for Malak to find as well. While he's a terrible leader and statesmen he's no fool either. It won't be long before he knows everything we know."

"So it's a race."

XXX

**Excerpt from the Jedi Civil War by Historian Karr Dor **

_On War Crimes of the Jedi Civil War_

_In the brutality of war only the naïve believes that no war crimes are ever committed. The fierce Jedi Civil War as no exception. In this war waged for control of the galaxy and for the control of the Force itself many crimes on both sides occurred. Great examples of these are the genocide of Telos and Taris by the Sith under Lord Malak. On the Republic side Colonel Vanicus Koly coldly executed over a thousand Sith sympathizers on the Republic world of Gorlon II when the Sith invaded._

_Despite the reputation of the Sith, in the early years of the war under Darth Revan very few crimes were committed on the Sith side. Darth Revan had always had a very firm grip on her Sith. The only large exception to this was the genocide of Telos which went against her direct orders. For all that could be said of Darth Revan one thing is clear she fought a marginal clean an honorable war. (if such a thing is possible)_

_However with Revan's supposed death there was no one to hold Malak's leash and the new Dark Lord began a campaign of terror throughout the galaxy. Malak's short lived reign would kill millions of innocent sentients and destroy dozens of planets and perhaps forever mare the name of Revan's Sith Empire._


	5. Chapter 4: Dantooine Arrival

**Warning: Sexual Situations if you don't like those kinda things then skip those parts.**

**Chapter 4: Dantooine Arrival.**

_Revan and Master Kreia strode down the ramp of their shuttle and onto the lush green world of Dantooine. A young Revan smiled as she looked around the landing bay of the Jedi enclave, she much preferred this to Coruscant. In her eyes Coruscant was ugly, steel grey place a far cry from the beauty she had seen out the shuttle's window. Plus their had been far to many people, it made her head hurt. Their trip to the Capital hadn't been in vain for Master Kreia did receive permission to train her._

_Almost immediately upon landing Master Kreia was met by another Jedi a violet Twi'lek and a young boy about Revan's age, "Master Kreia," he said bowing, "Welcome back to Dantooine," smiling he continued, "and who might this young lady be."_

_"Knight Zhar," Master Kreia said warmly, "Its good you seen you again my old student," gesturing at Revan, "this is Revan my newest padawan."_

_Revan felt pride bubble up in her chest when her master introduced her as her padawan. Zhar smiled, "Well she is very strong in the Force; she will be a wonderful addition to the Order."_

_Gesturing behind him he said respectfully, "Master if you will the council would like to speck with you." Then he turned to his own padawan, "Malak why don't you show Revan around the compound."  
_

_"Yes Master."_

_With that the two Jedi left leaving their respective padawans alone, "I'm Revan," she said by way of introduction holding out her hand. _

"_Malak,' the boy said gruffly, "well I guess I should start showing you around," and Revan agreed._

_Though neither one knew it now in a few short weeks they would be the best of friends though latter in life they would become mortal enemies._

XXX

Rachel sat up in her bed on the _Hawk _the rumbling of the craft having woken her up signaling they were coming in for a landing. Throwing her legs over the side of the bunk she rubbed her temples. The dreams were no longer causing her to freak out every time she woke up but it was still a bit disturbing. Throwing on a tank top and fatigue bottoms she found in the ships stores, apparently Davik like to have large variety of clothes on hand for him and his guests.

Making her way up to the cockpit she saw Carth and Bastila sitting the pilots and co-pilots chair respectively, "Copy that control, ETA two minutes."

The _Ebon Hawk_ under Carth's ministrations glided gently through the atmosphere and came to rest in the Jedi Enclave hangar. Bastila stood up and straightened her robes, "Rachel, Carth," she started, "I have to report to the Jedi Council."

"Have fun with that," Rachel said waving her off.

Once she was gone Carth swivel around in his chair scratching the back off his head nervously he said, "Hey Rachel."

"Yeah."

"When we were coming in I noticed a good size town a few kilometers west of here and I was wondering," he nearly stuttered, cursing himself he never remembered it being this hard before, "You'd you like to go to dinner with me."

Rachel blinked once, then again, "Like a date," she said dumbly.

Damn, Carth thought he had been hoping she could have made that connection so quick, "No… I mean yes… I mean if you want it to be."

Rachel felt a smile break out on her face, "A date it is, what time," she said.

Carth smiled too, "How about around nine?"

"Sounds great," she said as she walked back out of the cockpit trying to wipe the little smile off her face before someone inquired.

"Hey Rach," Mission called out. She and Canderous were playing pazaak while Zaalbar helped himself to their food stores. The little blue girl as one would expect took the death of her homeworld mighty hard, but after their talk and Carth's help she was doing much better. A lot better considering the state of her mountain of credit ships and coins compared to Canderous's pathetic little pile.

Rachel laughed as Canderous lost again, "Bah," the burley Mandalorian said standing up and collected his pathetic little pile of money, "she cheats."

Mission lifted up her hands to cover her mouth and snickered, "It's pazzak, Canderous, you know if you're really good if you can cheat and get away with it."

Deciding she wouldn't stay cooped up in this ship she decided to go out for a walk. Calling out, "Hey Canderous, Mission, Zaalbar you want to go for a walk with me I've got to get off this ship."

Mission and Canderous both readily accepted while Zaalbar you had just started his fourth helping politely declined. Rachel quickly informed Carth of their plans but the Republic Captain declined deciding to run some tests on the Hawk.

XXX

Several hours later Bastila stood in front of the Dantooine council her hands clasp behind her back, just having finished her report. Master Vrook was irate, "This damn fool idea was never going work," he said glaring at Zhar.

Before Master Zhar could defend himself Master Vander the short green elf like creature who was in charge of the Dantooine enclave held up his hands, "Silence," he commanded and directed his next question to Bastila, "Are you sure that she has no idea who she truly is."

Bastila hesitated before answering, "On the conscious level no, she has no idea who she truly is…"

"But…," Master Doran said leaning forward.

Taking a deep breath Bastila continued nervously, "But on some level I think she knows something's not right. Her dreams… the dreams I told you about worry me Masters."

"Thank you padawan," Vandar said, "Please inform Ms…Skirta that the council will meet with her tomorrow morning."

Bowing at the waist Bastila said, "Yes Master Vander," and promptly left the council chambers.

The moment Bastila left Vrook restarted his argument, "I told you Vander, I told this course of action was too dangerous," the aged Jedi Master voiced to the leader of the council. "What happens if 'Rachel' regains her memory then what? That dammed Mandalorian bastard has caused enough problems already."

"What do you purpose we do with Revan then Master Vrook," Zhar asked condescendingly, "lock her in the Temple under twenty-four hour guard? We both know she is far too much of a threat to keep imprisoned. Perhaps we should throw her to the Republic and allow them to execute her," he said his voice raising as he did.

"But," the Twi'lek continued, "that would violate the oath you took when you joined the Jedi Order and the oaths you took as a master, Vrook. We don't execute people no matter what their crimes, more death serves no one."

Vrook stood up his face aflame, his finger thrust forward in accusation, "You… you have always been too lenient with Revan, and you have always protected her because she was your own Master's second Padawan."

"Enough," Vandar said holding out his two small green hands, "Enough," he repeated wearily, "first thing we should discover is why the mind wipe seems to be failing. Master Doran you were present on Coruscant could you elaborate."

The dark skinned Jedi Master shook his head as if shaking away a bad memory, "First of all Master Vandar it wasn't a 'mind wipe.' It was…" he trailed off looking for the right word, "a reprogramming."

"Then why did you choose to make her as she is now, a Mandalorian Mercenary, why not a loyal Republic soldier or someone easily controlled," Vrook questioned.

"We tried," Doran admitted, "to make Revan more docile… however we failed." The Jedi said pausing then explained, "At first we tried to make Revan into a loyal anonymous civilian someone who we could easily control."

"What then happened," Vandar queried.

"It was as if her subconscious sensed the wrongness of the personality we forced on her and her two minds warred and eventually 'Revan' regained control. We tried it several times with the same results and then eventually Master Atris, the Jedi Record Keeper suggested a solution, "the Jedi Master spoke of the cold Echani woman who maintained all the Order's knowledge.

"And that solution was," Vrook interrupted hotly.

The dark skinned Jedi master sighed, "To not create an entirely new personality, but to remove parts of the old one," Gesturing out the door to the council chambers, "That woman 'Rachel' is Revan," he said paying particular attention to the 'is', "she has the same thought process as Revan, she feels what Revan felt, she is for all intents and purposes Revan Skirta. The only difference is that she has not gone through or more precisely remember the events the forged Revan."

Taking a deep breath Doran continued explain to the rest of the council, "She remembers the murder of her mother and the false memory of being found by a passing trader, she however does not remember being a slave or being rescued by Master Kreia. She is unaware that she ever joined the Order, let alone led a disproportional fraction of our best young Knights to war. She remembers the war but from the perspective of a soldier, this accounts for her scars and martial skill."

"Your saying," Zhar started feeling sick at his stomach, "That you had to make up a… lie," he said stumbling over the word, "that her subconscious would believe."

"Yes that is it exactly," Doran answered and then addressing Master Vandar, "As to your original question, we had to allow some of her previous life to slip through in the form off dreams otherwise she wouldn't have been and useful to us. We need her to remember enough so that we can find the source of this mysterious Sith Fleet."

Even Vrook finally bowed his head in acceptance. The construction site of Revan's fleet was still a mystery even this many years in the war. While some of her fleet had been composed of her former Republic command, the port that created the most of the Sith Fleet was still unaccounted for. So far Republic Intelligence was at a complete loss. For out of the six largest shipyards in the galaxy, the shipyards of Kuat, Corellia and Seniar Fleet Systems were still in Republic hands. In Revan's initial offensive she took the only Major shipyard in the Outer-Rim, Forost largely intact and her forces had captured Sluis Van and Blibringi before her own capture, but they had only recently been repaired by the Sith.

"Master's," Zhar said quietly, "I would like to same one more thing." After Vandar nodded his permission Zhar continued, "What we have done to her cannot be forgiven. We have done it for the sake of the Republic and the Order however that does not make it right. If 'Rachel' does ever regain her full memory, if Revan returns we should all fear for our lives. Revan was never one to allow wrongs go un-righted. She will hunt us down to the ends of the universe to extract her revenge.

XXX

Rachel had to wonder how she kept getting caught up in this stuff. She Canderous and Mission had learned that there was a group of Mandalorian deserters from the last war that had holed up on Dantooine and were making problems for the locals. They had run into one band of the raider and had killed them in a quick firefight. From the corpses they had learned that the dead Mandalorian had belonged to the Kalof Clan.

While all Mandalorians were brutal and ruthless to a certain degree the Kalof were savages by even Mandalorian standards and not only that but they were cowards as well. They had been the only Clan to refuse Revan's order to surrender and they fled, with the survivors becoming little better than pirate and scavengers. As far as Canderous and Rachel were concerned it was a mercy killing.

Spotting the Mandalorian camp Canderous set the land speeder that they had… 'appropriated,' from the dead raiders down a short distance from the camp. Pulling a large sniper rifle from the back of the speeder Rachel handed it to Mission, "Alright Mission I need you to go up on that hill over there," she said pointing to a hill overlooking the plain, "and shoot anyone that's not me and Canderous when the shooting starts… got it."

Mission took the rifle that was nearly as large as she was and gulped and nodded, 'Got it," she repeated and took off towards the hill.

"You sure you trust her to watch are back," Canderous said checking his cannon over.

"Mission's a good kid," Rachel said, "and besides at this range its basically just point and shoot." In truth Rachel wanted her out of the way of harm. Mission invoked Rachel's maternal instincts and she felt the need to keep the young Twi'lek out of danger.

Shouldering her carbine she and Canderous made their way over to the encampment. That itself was an indication of how bad things were. Any self-respecting Military or para-military force would have had sentries up and about. Slipping into encampment Rachel and Canderous moved swiftly and quietly looking for targets.

The two Mandalorians stopped as they heard voices. Flashing Canderous a signal Rachel prepared for a fight, checking her carbine, she entered the camp. Putting the first enemy Mandalorian in her sights she squeezed the trigger causing a flurry of red bolts to fly at her target's chest.

The first man fell, while Mandalorian Neo-Crusader armor was very efficient at deflecting and absorbing it couldn't stop point blank-fire. Rachel didn't feel bad about killing these fallen Mandalorian; they were already dead, dishonored as they were.

Shifting her aim she fired at the next blue armored target while Canderous's cannon roared to life, tearing into their enemies. Rachel downed another target then suddenly she saw the rouge's leader. A red armored Mandalorian officer with Captain's markings etched into his armor, which was carrying a large wicked looking vibro-sword.

The big Mandalorian was on top of her in a second swinging his sword in a powerful overhead motion. Rachel did the only thing she could to at the moment to save herself. She threw her carbine up to block the incoming blow. The force of the blow knocked he flat on her back and she gasped as the air was knocked out of her lungs as she hit the ground.

Scrambling she brought up her carbine and pulled the trigger only to be meet with a terrible wheeze. Looking down at it she saw that the gun had a large gash in the side, "Ahh frack," Rachel groaned.

The raider lifted his sword preparing to deliver the death blow when all of a sudden his head exploded in a cloud of red mist. Rachel rolled onto her stomach and stood up drawing her side-arm. Looking around she saw Mission up on the hill waving and jumping. Rachel smiled and tossed the girl a salute.

"You all right," Canderous said approaching her covered in dirt and blood.

"Yeah I'm fine," she said as she began picking pieces of the raider off her armor, shivering as she did, "Well I guess we can tell the townsfolk that the raiders won't bother them anymore."

Canderous merely grunted something about the raiders and their mothers that Rachel didn't quite catch as he went about stripping the dead raiders of their armor to assemble a full suit.

"Hey Rach, Rach," Mission yelled running across the field, "Did you see what I did."

Rachel smirked, "You saved my life Mission. Of course I saw it," she said. "Now lets get back to the Enclave," she continued not adding that she had to find something to wear for her date with Carth.

XXX

Several hours later Carth sat at a table of one of the only restaurants on Dantooine. It was a nice place, certainly not as nice as some of the Core Worlds restaurants like Coruscant, but was nice.

Tugging at the collar of his Republic Naval dress uniform, he took another look at his watch; Rachel should be here any minute. Internally Carth laughed, he hadn't been this nervous in a long time and it could be for the fact he hadn't really been on a date for a decade.

No one could have missed Rachel entrance; she was dressed in an all black shimmersilk dress plundered from Davik's stores. Whatever was to be said about Davik, one thing was the man had taste. The spaghetti strap dress hung to Rachel in all the right places accenting her most feminine features. It showed a generous amount of cleavage, enough to be considered beautiful, but not enough to be considered obscene.

Rachel smiled as she saw Carth gawking it make her feel good that she could strike him speechless. Making her way over to the table swaying her hips ever so slightly, she sat down. Reaching across the table she placed her finger under Carth's mouth and pushed up causing his teeth to clank together.

"Sorry," Carth said though he didn't really mean it, "You look beautiful Rachel," and he meant that completely.

Rachel blushed and rubbed the back of her neck with her hand, "Thanks Carth. It's a long time sense I got to dress up and feel like woman. Its nice," she said embarrassed.

"You should definitely dress up more often," Carth said with a wink.

Rachel let her eyes roam up and down Carth's figure, "Only if you wear your uniform more often… it kinda hot," she said seductively.

"Deal," Carth immediately said and the pair broke out into laughter.

The dinner lasted several hours and Rachel couldn't ever remember having more fun. She and Carth talked about everything, the Mandalorian Wars, the current War, themselves, their families. Both Rachel and Carth told each other more about their past then they had ever told anyone before.

When they got back to the _Hawk_, "Well Rachel I… this was the most fun I've had in a long time," as Carth was rambling Rachel began aware of just how close they were together. Pressing herself up against him she grabbed his head and smashed her lips to his. At first Carth was surprised but his surprise soon turned to passion as he deepened the kiss.

Moving up the ramp and into the ship they continued their embrace. As Carth fastened his mouth on a particularly sensitive part of her of her neck Rachel moaned loudly, "Ohh frack me."

Carth smirked and place a kiss on her lips, "I though that was the general idea."

Thumping him playfully on the arm, "Arrogant bastard," she said smiling and kissed him again as she begin to fumble with the buttons on his uniform coat. Carth resumed devouring her neck and his hand began to wander and came to rest on her perfectly molded backside.

"Lets move to the Captain's quarter," Carth said panting from excitement. Rachel just wordlessly nodded. Normally she would have been freaked by how fast this was going, but with Carth it seemed they couldn't get into bed fast enough.

Once in the room Rachel shut the door and pushed Carth down onto the bed. Rachel smiled seductively, licking her lips and let the dress slip off her shoulder and puddle at her feet. Then she climbed into bed.

XXX

Rachel woke up in the middle of the night and carefully extracted herself from Carth's embrace, placing a small kiss on his forehead. Slipping some clothes on, she left the cabin making her way to the shower. Turning on the heat she jumped in and sighed as the scalding water coursed over her aching muscles.

Chuckling to herself as the cause of the ache in her muscles had been a good one. "Damn," Rachel swore she couldn't even remember she had a lover, let alone someone she actually cared, maybe even… No! She broke that line off thought; she'd been hurt once before and wasn't going to let it happen again.

After washing herself clean she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower rapping herself in a clean towel. Carth was different, she could tell. He genuinely cared for her; he wouldn't have slept with her otherwise. Stepping back into the corridor, she was about to make her way back to Carth when a voice came from behind her.

"Watch ya doing up," Canderous said leaning up against the wall eyeing her near naked form.

Rachel ,though she would vehemently deny it later squeaked, as she jumped up into the air and turned around. She had been deep in thought when the big Mandalorian had snuck up on her, "Jeez, Canderous," she gasped clutching her heart, "Gods you scared me," she paused catching her breath, "what are you doing up."

Canderous huffed in laughter, he had to admit he was pleased with himself for sneaking up on her, "Late night workout. I came over when I heard the shower running," he said, then unable to resist adding, "Have fun with Republic?"

Rachel a little ticked she hadn't been more careful, for frack's sake Mission could have seen them. While Rachel was positive Mission had seen worse she'd still wanted to protect the kid. Adopting her Pazzak face she said, "What?"

Smiling Canderous shook his head, "If you want to frack Republic in your spare time then it's alright with me; though if you ever want a real man…" he trailed off.

Deciding to fight fire with fire, "Carth was more than man enough for me, old man," she growled.

"Old man," he repeated his eyes narrowing, "Republic's only a few years younger me."

That Rachel couldn't deny Carth was almost forty-five nearly double her age, but she didn't care, "I'm a big girl I can pick out my own lovers, Canderous," she said as she turned and left. Though as she left she thought she heard Canderous sigh and say.

"She could do better." That may or may not of been true but Rachel didn't dwell on it instead she went back to her cabin and crawled back into bed with Carth.

XXX

Rachel awoke the next morning to the pleasant sensation of someone running their hand through her hair, "Morning Rachel," Carth's voice through her haze of sleep.

Carth who was propped up on one elbow, smiled as he looked down at her. She looked beautiful in the morning, her blonde hair all messed up and sticky everywhere not to mention she was nude under the blankets. If Carth hadn't seen it personally he would have had a devil of a time believing this woman lying in bed with him was one of the most deadly people he had ever seen. Leaning down he planted a kiss on her lips.

Rachel smiled against the kiss and groaned as Carth pulled away. Realizing they needed to talk she said, "Carth we need to talk."

Carth felt fear seize up in his chest, maybe she thought this was a mistake, but then why would she have just let him kiss her, "About?"

"I normally don't… you know… put out on a first date," she said looking away, feeling a little embarrassed. She wouldn't have changed anything about last night if she could, but she didn't want Carth to think she was a whore.

"Rachel," Carth said solemnly, "I'm sorry if I kinda rushed things, but um… I don't think any lower of you, in fact I… uh care about you… a lot," hoping not to scare her off he gently grabbed her jaw so he could kiss her again.

Rachel felt tears burn down her cheeks at Carth's words and as he kissed her. Deeping the kiss she made it more passionate and when the kiss broke she said, "I like you too."

That was all Carth needed to here as he kissed her and both their hands began to explore. Leaving her mouth Carth began to kiss lower down along her neck approaching her creamy mounds when all of a sudden… Mission burst through the door.

"Rachel you seen Carth," the young Twi'lek shouted as she entered the room. Her eyes went as wide as saucers as she saw the two lovers in the compromising condition, "Ekkkkk," she screamed and bolted out of the room.

Rachel groaned not only had having Carth's ministrations stopped but at Mission waling in on them, "Damn," she growled as the pleased her head in her hands, "I'm never gonna live this down."

Carth was also mortified but was rapidly finding amusement in the situation and Mission's response; began to laugh. As the laughter died down and the mood ruined they both decided it was time to get up. Quickly getting dressed the pair made their way out to the main room to get something to eat.

XXX

Bastila shook her head as she walked up the _Ebon Hawk's_ up ramp; she wished the council hadn't given her this assignment. She was sure that this was a gigantic mistake but she trusted in the wisdom of the council.

"Rachel," the Jedi called out as she entire the main room, where everyone was eating breakfast.

"Yeah," Rachel said looking up from her bowl of food, a grey mush that came out of the synthesizers. It as wasn't the best tasting but it had all the nutrients you needed.

"I have been ordered by the council to bring you before them," Bastila said in what as her most commanding tone, but even to her own ears it was a poor second when compared to the steel that entered Rachel's voice when she wanted something done.

"An audience with the Jedi Council," Carth questioned suspiciously as he snaked his arms around Rachel's waist, "is that odd for someone who isn't a Jedi. What's this about Bastila?"

Rachel stiffened as Carth wrapped his arm around her possessively, on one hand she felt flattered that Carth was trying to protect her and had it been anyone else that tried to make a claim to her, she would have decked them right there. The she relaxed and leaned back against her pilot.

At the gesture Bastila's eyes went wide as she looked from Carth to Rachel and at the unmistakable meaning of the gesture. "I'm sorry Carth I can't tell you. All I can ask is that you trust in the Force and the wisdom of the Council."

"I don't like being left out of the loop Bastila," Carth nearly growled.

"Its all right Carth," Rachel said grabbing her favorite leather jacket and slipping it on, "I don't want to get Bastila in trouble with the Masters after all."

Thankful that Rachel wasn't going to give her trouble she said, "Come the Masters are waiting for us. I'll lead you to the council chambers."

They walk to the council chambers in complete silence. The inside of the enclave was a lot more Spartan then Rachel had expected. While it was known that the Jedi were monk like it was common knowledge that the Jedi Order itself was extremely wealthy.

Finally they came to a large set of wooden double doors, "One moment Rachel," Bastila said as she opened one of the doors and made her way through.

Sighing Rachel looked around and found a bench and sat down closing her eyes and leaning up against the wall when a voice shouted out, "You!" Startled Rachel sat up in time to see a browned robed Jedi stomping over to her.

Rachel confused did one of those, 'who me,' gestures and the woman continued on angrily, "Yes you! Why do you not where the traditional robes of our Order. Do you mock the customs of the Jedi?"

Rolling her eyes Rachel was reminded of why she hated Jedi, the were arrogant, pompous windbags, "Settle down lady, I'm no Jedi I just came here with Bastila," Rachel said annoyed jerking her thumb at the door to the council chambers.

"Ahh Bastila. I have heard she has nearly mastered the art of battle meditation, a impressive accomplishment for one so young. Though I have heard she has a foolish pride in her own talents," the Jedi said thoughtfully, then narrowing her eyes she continued, "But as for you… you claim not to be a padawan. The Force is strong with you. If this is a joke then it is very poor taste. The Jedi Order is no place for jokes."

Rachel was starting to get pissed at this upstart Jedi, "Listen Jedi, I not a member of your little social club so frack off."

The Jedi woman, bit the inside of her cheek and apologized, "Forgive my abruptness with which I first greeted you. My Master warned me I needed to better control my emotions," then sighing she continued, "I see I still have much to learn. Godd day," she finished with a bow and walked away.

Then the wooden doors behind her swung open and Bastila said quickly, "Come with me," following her Rachel walked through the doors and into the council chamber.

"Ahh," said a violet Twi'lek as Rachel entered the room, "So you are the one that rescued Bastila and for that we thank you," he continued placing his and over his heart, "It is good you came as we have been discussing your rather special case. I am Zhar a member of the Jedi council."

The gesturing to the three other being beside him, "This is Master Vrook," he said pointing the wrinkled old man who was glaring at Rachel which an intensity that if his eyes were blaster bolts he would have fried her right there, "Next to him is Master Doran, the chronicler of our enclave," he said of the equally old dark skinned man who was studying her like a lab specimen, "and finally Master Vandar the leader of this council," Zhar finished pointing at the green elfin creature.

Rachel resieting the urged to shift on her feet as she was uncomfortable under the Masters' stares said, "Isn't the Jedi council on Coruscant."

"Yes you are correct," Master Vander said raspy, "The High Council of the Jedi Order is on Coruscant; however we are the council in charge of the academy on Dantooine."

Straitening her back Rachel adopted an angry look, "Now listen a lot of weird things have been happening to be ever since Taris and it has something to do with Bastila. Now your going to tell me what the hell has been going on," Rachel said with an underline of steel in her voice.

Bastila shifted on her feet partly because she was angry that Rachel would dare take such a tone with the Jedi Masters and partly because she nervous about what the Master were going to suggest.

"I'm sure you do," Master Doran said with a friendly smile, "I assure you we will have the answers for you."

"First off, why'd Malak destroy Taris," Rachel asked, "The world was already his it didn't make any sense."

Stoically the little green creature answered, "Malak seeks the complete and utter destruction of the Jedi Order. Out most effective weapon and perhaps are only hope to combat the coming Darkness is Bastila Battle Meditation. This is why Malak sought her so fervently."

"And if he could not have her he would destroy her. Taris was just in the way,' Vrook said bluntly.

"We need her in our fight against the Sith, we need every Jedi we can muster for the Sith have been hounding us mercilessly," Zhar added, "Which… brings us to you."

Rachel felt her eyebrows raise in surprise as she forgot her line of questioning, "Me? What does this have to do with me."

"Bastila tells use you are strong in the Force," Zhar said pausing before he dropped the preverbal bomb, "We are considering you for Jedi training."

Rachel felt her jaw drop, "Ahhh…. You're joking… right," this had to be the biggest practical joke in history she would have considered laughing if it wasn't for Master Zhar stoic face. "You're not kidding?"

"Perhaps Master Zhar speaks out of turn," Vrook added appearing calm on the outside but seething on the inside, "We would need undisputed proof of your strong affinity to the Force before we ever considered such a thing."

Bastila hesitated but only for a second before stepping forward, "Proof… Masters I believe you have all the proof you need. Surely the council can feel the strength of the Force in this woman and I already related to you the events of Taris."

Bastila finished slinking away from the glare her Master was giving her, "Perhaps it was simply luck," Vrokk nearly growled.

Zhar shook his head, "We both know there is not such thing as luck only the will of the Force. We all feel the strength of the Force in Bastila's companion, though it is wild and untamed. Now that this power has begun to manifest itself can it be safety ignored."

Vrook was being out maneuvered and he knew it so he threw up the last defense he had, "The Jedi Training is long and difficult, even when working with a young and open mind. Teaching a child his hard; how much harder will it be with an adult."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa one moment back the land speeder up,' Rachel yelled holding out her hands, "What makes you think I even what to join the Jedi."

"It is a great honor," Master Zhar said.

"Perhaps," Rachel said making it clear she didn't believe it one bit, "but it doesn't make much since. You guys are losing and losing badly, only an idiot joins a team that knows their going to lose and personally I don't think the Republic is worth it."

"You would rather see Malak rule the Galaxy," Bastila asked stunned.

"No," Rachel responded immediately, "Malak's a monster and a butcher, I'm not arguing that but the Republic isn't much better. It's corrupt and rotten to the core; far too gone to save."

"Is that what Captain Onasi would say," Vander asked suddenly.

"Yes… wait no… wait, what does Carth have to do with this," Rachel asked confused, Vandar's question had thrown her off balance.

"You care about him very much don't you," Vandar said knowingly.

"That's none of your damn business," Rachel said vehemently throwing a glare at Bastila. While there was nothing wrong with what she and Carth were doing, she didn't like the fact that the little green elf was sticking his nose in something personal.

"I merely ask you to consider this," Master Vandar said splaying his hands out in front of him, "We both know that Captain Onasi will fight to his final breath to defend the Republic. It the war continues the way it does he will most certainly die in its defense. Is that what you want?"

Rachel felt her heart clutch painfully at the though of losing Carth, "No," she said quietly, "but it's not like anything I can do will matter in the grand scheme of things."

The 'manipulative little bastard' as Rachel was now calling him shook his head, "That is not true. There have been many times when a single Force-user has changed the fate of the galaxy. You Rachel Skirta have the aura of destiny about you."

Rachel let out a long stream of curses in Mandalorian that bordered on the vulgar, the obscene and the disturbingly descriptive, "Fine," she finally said defeated, "You win I'll play ball."

The 'manipulative little bastard' nodded and Master Doran said, "Traditionally the Jedi do not accept adults for training but as we have discussed, you are a special case."

"Many of are own pupils have forsaken their oaths and devoted themselves to the Sith Teachings," Vander said somberly, "we need to bolster are numbers to stand against Malak. With Revan dead…"

"Is Revan truly dead," Master Vrook interrupted hotly, "What if we should undertake to train this one and the Dark Lord should return…"

Rachel's head jerked around to stare at Vrook. What did he mean 'should the Dark Lord return,' Revan was dead everyone knew that, right? Certainly Revan still couldn't be alive. Wouldn't she have tried to take back her throne or if the Republic had surely they would have paraded her around before executing her. Maybe the Jedi Master misspoke.

"Enough Vrook," Vander interrupted loudly, "This is a matter for the council alone."

Knowing a dismissal when she hurt them Bastila bowed, "We leave you to your deliberation Masters, come Rachel."

XXX

_Excerpt from __**The Old Jedi Order **__by Jedi Historian Toinne Solusar_

_The Jedi Order is one of the oldest and noblest organizations in the history of the Galaxy. Formally know as the Monastic State of the Jedi Knights of the Republic it has stood side by side with the Republic since the Republics birth. At the time of what would be come know as the Jedi Civil War the Order was very different that its later predecessors as it was completely sovereign. The Order was not a branch of the Republic judicial system as it would be after the Russan reform. The Jedi were not in service to the Republic but rather allies of the Republic and held complete autonomy. The Jedi Temple on Coruscant in acted not only acted as the Jedi's base of operates but their embassy as well. _

_A prime example of the Order's autonomy would be in the Mandalorian wars where the Jedi would refuse o come to the aid of the Republic. Towards the end of the Republic the senate could order the council to action as where earlier it could not._

_In a function as its own state or religious order the Jedi Order had its own form of government. The head of the Jedi Order was known as the Grand Master who was elected by the Jedi High Council and held his position for life and he chaired the High Council. Only a Jedi Master with great power and experience could ever hope to become a Grand Master. The Grand Master had complete authority over the Order though few ever used their powers so broadly. The Grand Master duties in addition to be head of the Order was to function as chief ambassador to the Republic and Supreme Military Commander of the Order in times of War._

_ Underneath the Grand Master was the Jedi High Council which was composed of twelve members including the Grand Master. Five members would hold their positions for life, four long term members who held their positions until the steeped down or died and three members who held three position for ten years. In a council member died, the rest of the council would vote on his or her replacement. While there was no rule against Knights serving on the council it was widely accepted the you were required to be a Jedi Master. The High council was responsible for overseeing the duties of the Jedi Knights and Master moving about the galaxy as well as the administrative necessities of the Order. _

_Beneath the High Council were the numerous Jedi Councils that governed the numerous Jedi Enclaves and academies off of Coruscant. M Council members served for ten years at a time before the High Council had to replace them or reelect them. Mostly these councils had complete autonomy in the training of their students. Like on the High Council it was widely accepted that only Masters should serve on the Jedi Council._


	6. Chapter 5: Dantooine and the Jedi

nxkris: responding to your last post what I wanted to have it set up was that she didn't have a choice. She didn't want to do it but she cared for Carth enough to try to find someway to help save the Republic if only for him.

Sorry about the wait.

**Chapter 5: Dantooine and the Jedi**

_In a large stone room with ornate carvings on the walls High General Revan paced in her blood red and black armor that had become famous during the Mandalorian Wars. Her hand on the chin of her mask she continued to pace as she was deep in thought trying to figure a way through the inner door and the sanctum beyond. _

_Colonel General Malak, Revan's second in command and lover was leaning up against the wall waiting for Revan to figure out the puzzle of the ruin. Finally growing tried of waiting and nervous of the black energies permeating this tomb, "The Dark Side is strong in this place… I can feel its power," the large bald man with blue tattoos adorning his skull said._

_As Malak spoke Revan figured out the final piece of the puzzle. This place had been built by those who were strong in the Force. So if this truly was one of the locations of the map to the weapon she so desired; then it only made since that they would lock the door so only their kind could enter. Making her way over to the door Revan hoped this worked._

_But before she made it Malak placed his hand on her shoulder catching her in a firm grip, "Revan is this wise," he asked a hint of uncertainty entering his voice, 'the ancient Jedi sealed this archway. It we go forward now we can never go back. The Order will surely banish us," he finished sadly._

_Revan stopped and turned to face Malak raising her gloved hand she stroked his jaw as he started into the soulless mask the had become her face out of her quarters, "Its already to late Malak. We defied the Grand Master and the High Council by going to war and challenged the very authority of the Jedi Order itself. Besides they like the Republic have failed in their duty to protect the citizens of the Galaxy. They had had their moment of glory, this is my hour."_

"_Yes," he drawled unconvinced. Revan was slightly amused and slightly annoyed. It was rare she saw her childhood friend so indecisive, "but are the secrets of the Star Forge so valuable; is its power worth the risk."_

_Removing her hand from her lover's face she turned angrily to face the door. Placing her hand upon the raised portion of the door Revan released a jolt of Force energy into the stone. _

_Suddenly the door shook and began to move, splitting to three sections with the two outsides retracting into the ceiling and the center piece into the floor. Grinning savagely in triumph she strode into the room and to claim her prize with Malak traveling to tow._

_The Chamber beyond was foggy and dark and in the middle there was a pyramid made out of metal and as soon as Revan entered the pyramid split opening like a three petal flower. In the center rose a orb made out of a glossy black material. As soon as the orb reached head-level it began to glow until in exploded in a shower of light that formed into a large three dimensional galactic map._

"_It's beautiful," Revan whispered, her voice echoing around the room._

_XXX_

Rachel awoke in her bed every muscle in her body aching. She had started her training with Master Zhar and Bastila over two week ago. Originally she wouldn't have believed anything could be tougher then 'hell week' at Cardia's Special Operations Academy. She had been wrong. Zhar had run her ragged not only physically but mentally as well.

Swinging her legs off the side of the bed she started rubbing her temples, the dreams or visions, or whatever the Jedi called them, were back. Lately she had been far too tired to dream, she get back to the ship and promptly collapse of the bed. Pulling her legs up onto the bed Rachel entered one of the Jedi Meditation trances Zhar had taught her and let the Force banish the weariness from her limbs.

Feeling better than she had when she woke up, Rachel stood and got dressed in the plain, unflattering Jedi robes she had been given. Stretching, she wondered what Zhar would have her do today. She hoped it was more swordplay, she had to admit it was one of the lessons that Zhar taught that she truly enjoyed. The first two or three days of lessons had ended with Rachel more often than not getting knocked flat on her ass by Bastila, with Zhar refereeing and correcting mistakes.

After those first few days the situation had distinctly reversed. Once Rachel had a style, Jar'Kai, as it was the style that came the easiest to her. In fact it seemed as if she already knew what she was doing and was simply freshening up. Master Zhar himself noted at the incredible speed that Rachel learned, in less then three weeks he had taught her all of the classic saber forms including the deadly and incomplete Juyo form. Rachel had further surprised Zhar and Bastila by selecting juyo as her primary form.

While Zhar was amazed with her swordsmanship he had be astounded at the rate in which she achieved control over the Force. The first few days she could barley lift a pebble and now she could hurl boulders threw the air if she pleased. In fact Zhar had remarked that she had already surpassed all of the students at the academy.

Fully dressed in the Jedi attire, minus the lightsaber because she hadn't be allowed to build one yet, Rachel exited the _Hawk_. Immediately she felt Carth underneath the bottom gun turret, strange she had wondered that while she had to concentrate to find Mission, Zaalbar, Canderous or even Bastila, she always seemed to know where Carth. She thought that it had something to do with them sleeping together but it wasn't something she would bring to Master Zhar.

Making her way up to Carth, who was working on the top turret that had been damaged in their escape from Taris. In the time they were here he had gone over the _Hawk_ with a fine tooth comb, fixing little things there, realigning things there with the dedication that only a career Navy man could muster.

Rachel smiled as she saw her lover lying on top of the _Hawk_ covered in grease up to his elbows and cursing as he was yanking on something that Rachel couldn't quite see, "Morning Carth."

Lifting his head up from his work, "Rachel good your up." Carth said wiping his hands off with a rag. "I wanted to talk," as he climbed down off the ship; glancing around to make sure no one was looking.

"What is it?"

"Before you got up Bastila came over and said to send you over to the Council Chamber," Carth said quietly a frown clouding his features, "she looked scared like she'd seen a ghost or something."

Grabbing her gently by the shoulders he continued, "Watch out I don't totally trust the Jedi, they have their own motivations."

Rachel agreed, "I don't trust them either something's up I just don't know what," then placing a small kiss on his lips, "Thanks for the warning."

Sliding out of his embrace Rachel made her way out of the _Ebon Hawk's _berth and into the enclave. Carth was right, even though she was technically a Jedi something that caused her to stop and shiver every time she thought about it, she didn't trust them. The Jedi ran by their own rules and notoriously arrogant. They also had the bad habit of bending the truth and using half truths to get their objectives completed.

Plus there was this new dream of hers. It had been about Revan and Malak that was clear enough, but she was still confused about what they were doing; though she had a feeling a strange feeling that the tomb was somewhere here on Dantooine. When she thought back about the dream she shivered involuntarily, there was something dark about that place she knew it.

Again Rachel stood and the intricately carved wood door to the Council chambers. Gathering herself she pushed open the doors and entered the chamber. As usual the Jedi council occupied the Chamber sitting in the plush chairs. Bastila was there as well standing off to the side.

"Master Vander," Rachel said bowing at the waist in a quick military bow to the lead Master, "You called."

"Yes thank you for coming, Bastila," the green Jedi said indicating the Jedi woman over in the corner, "has informed us of a most interesting development in your training. She claims you and she have had a vision of Revan and Malak in the ancient ruins of Dantooine."

"The ruins have long been know to us," Doran said by way of explanation, 'We had thought them to be simple burial mound of the ancient people of Dantooine, but it now seems we may have been wrong. If Revan and Malak were there as your dream suggests then they may be far more important than we believed."

"Wait a second," Rachel said outraged, "One fracking second how the hell would Bastila know what I dreamed," she was pissed and a little bit scared that Bastila could have been inside her head without here knowing it."

"Calm down Rachel," Zhar said in appeasement, "Bastila was not in your mind she claimed she felt your presence in her dreams, a presence she as felt ever since Taris. It is not unknown for this to happen to two people strong in the Force."

"It is why she was paired with you for your training because a bond exists between you," Vandar added.

"Bastila has described to us this shared dream in great detail and the council has decided that you both have been given a vision from the Force," Doran said as he stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"A vision," Rachel said skeptically letting the disbelief seep into her voice, "you except me to believe that my dreams have been visions."

"How dare you question the wisdom of this council," Vrook all but shouted, red-faced as he stood up.

Rachel turned ready to release a stinging remark when Master Vandar held up his hand, "Enough Vrook. Doubt is understandable she does not yet realize the nature of the Force or its power as we do."

Focusing on Rachel the green Jedi continued, "The Force as you have been learn is all around us, is very powerful and has a will of its own, why else do you believe you were given these visions, random chance, no you were given a special destiny."

You two share a very powerful connection through the Force… and each other. These connections are not unheard of. Bonds like the one you two have are often formed by a Master and a padawan over many years of training."

Biting her tongue, Rachel didn't truly believe everything the Council was saying, but she realized that she wasn't going to get a better answer, "Destiny, that's the second time you talked of my destiny, what destiny."

"Together you and Bastila as the Force as brought you here to us, must stop Darth Malak and the Sith," Master Vandar said solemnly but seriously.

Rachel was so stunned at what the Master said it openly shone on her face and she didn't even hear the warning Vrook gave her about not 'letting her dead get filled with delusions of glory and power.' She was supposed stop Malak… her and Bastila?!?

"Whaaaat?" escaped her lips, "Malak has an Army numbering in the tens of billions and with a fleet greater than anything the Galaxy has ever seen before. It's driven back the Army and Navy of the Republic and decimated your own Order as well. In all honesty what the Hell do you expect me and the princess," Rachel said casting a not-so-sincere glance at Bastila, "sorry no offensive," before continuing, "to do about it."

Master Vandar nodded understanding her worries, "Obviously we do not expect you to take the Sith head on, but perhaps through subterfuge we can discover a way to stop them. Master Zhar has reported your remarkable progress to the rest of the council and we have decreed that you are ready for the trials."

Rachel was surprised, she knew she had been doing extremely well but she was that close to finishing, "Master Zhar," she questioned.

"You are unlike any student I have ever had. Though there is still much for you to learn; I believe there is little more you can learn from me," Zhar said beaming at the young women whom he was very proud of.

"Once the trials have been completed you and Bastila will head to this tomb and discover just what it is that Revan and Malak sought," Master Vandar said then bowing his head he finished, "May the Force be with us all."

XXX

The Training hall of the Dantooine Enclave was what one would expect of on of the wealthiest organizations in the Galaxy; it was over a kilometer long and two hundred wide. The hall was split into several sections for Jedi to train and the walls were lined with every sort of weapon that a Jedi could expect to face; from Force pikes to vibro-blades to blaster rifles. Plus there were dozens of top of the line dueling droids for the knights to train against.

Rachel smiled fondly, she had spent a lot of time in this hall over the last few weeks. Though unlike normal Bastila was not with them. It was just her and her teacher Master Zhar.

Zhar looking every bit the Jedi Master he was stood his hands clasped behind his back as he began to explain what was about to happen, "Soon your apprenticeship will end and you will be granted the title of a Padawan in the Jedi Order, but first you must prove yourself worthy."

Rachel who held a similar stance as Zhar grinned wolfishly, like all Mandalorians she loved a good challenge, "what must I do.'

"As per the traditions and customs of our Order which has been paced down for a thousand generations, you must pass three tests before you can join the ranks of the Jedi Order," Zhar informed Rachel holding up three fingers. "These tests will challenge you both mentality and physically to see if you have truly mastered what I have taught you."

"I'm ready," Rachel said without the slightest bit of hesitation.

The Jedi Master nodded, "First I will test you on the knowledge of the Jedi Code. These tenets must always guide your actions. Everything you do must be connected with their great wisdom. You must prove you have a Jedi's understanding of the Code."

Rachel clenched her jaw. The Code had been one of her least civil arguments with the Jedi Master. The Code called for a Jedi to renounce all emotion, love, hate joy, but I Rachel's mind those emotions are what makes you human and to repress them is unnatural. Rachel adhered to the belief that a person should have their emotions under control so they don't get the better of you; not repressed.

Realizing that even if she didn't believe it Zhar would want to make sure she at least under stood it, so she repeated the Code as she had learned it, "There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force."

Zhar smiled, for knew as well that Rachel didn't agree with the Code and a matter of fact neither did Revan. He himself had be taught a slightly different verison of the Code that had been replaced long ago, none-the less- he said, "Very good Rachel, you have pasted the first test. Now follow me."

Zhar lead her to a chamber separate from the main training hall. The room was shaped as a large oval with mechanical parts hanging all over the wall, "It is time for you to create the signature weapon and symbol of a Jedi… a lightsaber. Your lightsaber is more than a weapon it is your life, a very piece of your soul," Zhar explained passionately, "Do you have it?"

Know exactly what he meant Rachel reached into her pocket and withdrew two purple gems. Several days ago Zhar and Bastila had lead her to a cave where she would find crystals for the use in her lightsabers. For some reason the beautiful sparking purple crystal had called to her.

Zhar gently took the crystal's from her hand and examined them, "Exquisite taste. I have no doubt the blade you will create will shine beautifully. You may take as long as you wish," he finshed handing the gems back.

"Your leaving," Rachel questioned, she'd had thought he would leave her with some plans or instructions on how to build her sabers.

Zhar simply smiled mischievously, "The Light saber is a extinction of your own soul, Rachel. I cannot help you. Trust in the Force and yourself." With that piece of advice he left her alone.

Contemplating of his words Rachel went and sat cross legged on the on floor with the gems resting in front of her. At first she thought of everything she knew of lightsabers trying to figure out what she needed. Glancing around the room at the thousands of pieces she realized this wasn't the way.

Closing her eyes she began to breathe deeply and slowly, centering herself in the Force. As she did the room around her began to fad away and one by one parts began to separating gently from their hooks on the wall. The parts gathered around the crystals which were too floating of the ground. Slowly the parts began to come together around the crystal's, clicking and clacking as they snapped together. Piece by piece the twin lightsabers began to take shape. When the last pieces came together the two lightsabers gently floated down to the ground.

Rachel open her eyes and looked down at what she had made. Both sabers were completely identical with gleaming silver bodies with the bottom of the handle slightly hook to allow her mover range of movement in her favored Juyo style. Gingerly Rachel reached down taking a saber in each hand, thumbing over the small carving she had made with the Force midway up the handles… a small Mythosaur's the symbol of the Mandalorian clans.

Holding the right hand saber up she depressed the trigger with her thumb and was rewarded with a wheezing cough a the saber failed to activate, "What the…", she groaned confused. She tried the other saber and was rewarded with the same results.

Rachel stood up and began to pace around the room swearing under her breath. She couldn't for the life of her figure out what was wrong. She knew she had built it right what else was missing… wait a second. Bringing her eyes back to her sabers lying on the floor she realized that they weren't finished yet. Sitting back down she fell back into the Force and begun to focus on the lightsabers themselves.

Master Zhar had said 'the sabers were a part of her soul' that was what she was missing. With the Force she effortlessly saw through the lightsabers' causing and into the heart of the sabers, the focusing crystal. Realizing that the lightsaber was more than just a collection of pieces and parts that it needed a spiritual component, Rachel reached out with the Force and latched on to the crystal imbuing with a piece of her Force power.

Opening her eyes one more she grinned in triumph as she lifted her saber and this time was bathed in a purple blaze of light. Laughing she attempted to stand up but her leg cramped and gave out from underneath her. Cursing as she hit the ground she realized that not only were her muscles cramping up she was covering in the thin sheet of sweat. How long had she been sitting there?

Gingerly standing up, she stretched out her cramped muscles and rolled her neck. After a few minutes when she had worked the soreness out of her muscles she clipped her sabers onto her belt and walked out through the door.

As she exited the room she saw Master Zhar waiting for her at his prompting she handed over her lightsabers and Zhar quickly inspected it and ignited it before shutting the saber down and handing it back.

With an impressed look on his face he said proudly, "Well done, your crystals seem to be set perfectly. It is rare for an apprentice to complete one saber their first try but you have complete two."

"Thank you uhmm… how long was I in there," Rachel asked confused.

"A little over two hours, don't look so surprised," Master Zhar chuckled as he saw her face, "it is not unheard for a Jedi to spend days at work on his or her saber with out even realizing it. Once more well done you have past the second test."

"Thank you," Rachel said respectfully.

"Though a word of warning," Zhar intoned his voice becoming serious, "Your lightsaber identifies you as a member of the Jedi Order with such recognition comes the honor and respect of most sentients… though it also attracts the attention of unwanted enemies. The Sith Lords and their Dark Jedi servants will now seek your destruction and they are not to be underestimated for it is one thing to fight an opponent with practice blades but another to fight a another Force user who wishes your death."

Rachel understood this from the moment she had agreed. She knew she'd be painting a bull's-eye on her back, "I understand Master."

"Are you ready to take on your final challenge Rachel for this is a test of flesh and spirit and can be dangerous," Zhar warned.

Rachel's answer was a single nod, "For every Jedi the greatest threat is the treat of the Dark side which is always present. You must truly understand this before you become a member of the Order. You must see the corruption of the Dark side of the Force for your self," the Jedi Master said sadly, then raising his arms he continued, "even here on Dantooine there are places were the Dark holds sway , twisting and tainting nature itself. There is an Ancient grove once used for meditation by the students here is now tainted by the Dark side, a wave a darkness perverts the region. The Kath Hounds who live in that area have fallen under the sway of the darkness and are mauling the surrounding settlers. This must be stopped."

Rachel paused thinking, the hounds are not the problem simply a byproduct so she had to find and stop the source of the corruption, "What's causing the corruption?"

Good," Zhar said pleased, "you can see past the symptoms and are looking for the heart of the problem. You must journey to the grove and discover the reason for the darkness and conquer it."

"You're not telling me everything," Rachel deuced.

"I say no more this is your task and your task alone no others may help you," Zhar said placing his hand on her shoulder, "I wish you luck."

XXX

Dantooine in its own was way a very beautiful place, Rachel realized as she made her way over the plains. She had been following the dark lotus in the Force now for several kilometers know. So far she had only a few problems with the rapid Kath Hounds but after gutting the Bull hound and tossing back towards the others they seemed to leave her alone.

Suddenly she new she was close. The Dark side hung in the air a vile plague, its power raw and unchecked, corrupting the land around it. The once green grass was now brown and dead and the trees were rotten and twisted. As she saw the ruins of a small stone structure, Rachel unclipped her sabers from her belt.

Sending out a tendril of Force energy she confirmed that the dark side energy was coming from someone insides the ruins. Approaching silently she noticed the bodies… or rather the pieces of the bodies of dead Mandalorian raiders that had been cut up with a lightsaber.

As she reached the grove she noticed a female Cathar and Rachel gave a little groan. Of course it had to be a Cathar. In the Mandalorian Wars the Mandalorians viewing the Cathar as skilled warriors and a worthy challenged nearly wiped them out.

The Carthar looked up and her eyes immediately fixed upon her Mandalorian tattoo imprinted on her right shoulder, "You Mandalorian filth you will pay for what you did to my people," the Cathar screamed in rage as she ignited her lightsaber and charged.

"Just wait a second," Rachel shouted back as she ignited her sabers and fell in a defensive stance, "I don't want to fight!" Either the Cathar didn't hear her or just didn't care as she continued her charge, her saber held high.

Rachel held her ground till the last possible second before acting. Using her left saber she deflected the Cathar's attack and spun out of her path. The angry feline barreled on overshooting her prey. The Cather had made a critical mistake and had allowed her anger to overwhelm her. Spinning around the enraged feline snarled, "I will be your doom!"

Sabers clashed and sparked in a shower of blue and purple as the two women danced in their deadly dance of death and destruction. Rachel, like a master swordsman allowed her less skilled opponent to vent, forcing her to waste her energy while she waited for the perfect moment to strike.

"Die you filth!", the Cathar screamed again, spittle flying from her mouth as she revamped her attack; her blows raining down faster and faster.

Rachel stayed silent giving more ground and continuing to allow the angry feline to tire herself out. Rachel watched with a keen eye waiting for her opponent to make her mistake and… there! Rachel hooked her saber inside the Cathar's guard and gave a hard yank sending the offending lightsaber spinning through the air.

Not giving her opponent time to recover Rachel punched the Cathar square in the face. One of the first things she had been taught was that just because someone had been disarmed doesn't mean they're no longer dangerous. That was especially true with Mandalorians, Jedi and Sith.

Holding the tip of her left hand lightsaber at the Cathar's neck, "Listen now, I don't want to kill you. I had nothing to do with the attack on your homeworld. I was little more than a girl at the time. Judge me not my people," Rachel said breathing deeply, "If you promise not to attack me then I'll let you up… deal?"

"You… you are very strong, stronger than me even in my darkness," the feline said as her face slipped from a mask of rage to aguish to shame, "I agree."

Rachel nodded slowly and returned her sabers to her belt, "Who are you," she said crossing her arms, "and speak quickly. I don't appreciate people trying to kill me."

"I am Juhani," the Cathar purred, standing up slowly while not lifting her eyes up from the ground. Then Juhani raised her eyes to Rachel's, who had to step back and unconsciously reached for her sabers, at the fire burning in them.

"This," Juhani intoned at the grove and the ruins, "this is my place of darkness… my dark power. This is the place you have invaded. When I embraced darkness, this is the place where I sought solace. It is MINE!"

Rachel was curious, she had learned a lot about the Force from the Jedi Masters and Master Zhar in particular but the hadn't told her anything about the 'Dark-side of the Force' expect to stay away from it, "You turned to the Dark side…why?"

Juhani's fur flattened against her body and she looked shamefaced, "When I slew my Master, Quatra. I knew I could never go back. And now I revel in my dark power… power enough to crush the life from someone like you… or so I thought," she finished pathetically.

Rachel frowned as Juhani spoke, she hadn't heard anything about a padawan killing her master and one of the things is that just like armies the lower ranking Jedi lived on rumors, "You killed your master?"

"Yes," Juhani hissed vehemently, "I struck her down in the middle of my training, consumed by my anger; I gave into the power of hate. But it was not enough…" sighing deeply, her voice taking a pathetic quality to it, "What is it you want from me?"

Deciding to take the honest route Rachel crossed her arms, "The council sent me to cleanse the taint from the grove," Rachel said fully aware of how her words could be taken.

Juhani's eyes shot up fully of fear then apathy, "So the Council's sent you to kill me. Then why, when you bested me so easily, did you not just finish your task. Is it not apparent that I can never be saved."

"Maybe, maybe not," Rachel supplied cryptically. Her first instinct had screamed to do just that, but she realized that Zhar never said to kill anyone and killing wasn't the Jedi way., "but I seem to remember in my Jedi lessons something about, 'everyone is capable of redemption' plus," she added letting her voice harden with disgust, "You should take responsibility for your actions instead of running out here and hiding like a coward."

As Rachel intended the insult caused the Cathar to flinch. They were almost as honor bound as a species as the Mandalorians were as a people, "How dare you, Mandalorian" Juhani screamed her hair standing on end, "How dare you judge… no," she said quietly bowing her head in a gesture of compliance, "You are correct, I should return and face judgment for my actions."

"If it makes you feel better," Rachel said trying to sound optimistic she had no idea what the council would do, "the council needs every trained Jedi they can get their hands on." Jerking her head in the direction of the Enclave Rachel putting on her best smile, "Come on lets head back to the enclave," Rachel said holding out her hand as a gesture of peace.

Juhani warily stared at Rachel's hand, Rachel a Mandalorian by birth whose race had started a war that devastated the Outer and Mid Rim, split the Jedi Order, and paved the way for Revan's fall and her subsequent rebirth has the Dark Lord. She wanted to hate her not only for that but for embarrassing her in the fight as Juhani know realized Rachel could of easily killed her.

Reaching out Juhani clasped the proffered hand and gave a gently squeeze, "So what is your name."

XXX

Once more Rachel stood before the Jedi Council, though by this point it was becoming somewhat of a routine. Though she had to admit they certainly looked pleased with her, even Vrook wasn't his usual grumpy self.

"It is good to see Juhani return to the light," Master Vandar said a toothy smile breaking out over his green face, "You are to be commended for this. Your actions bring us great hope."

"You've done well my pupil," Master Zhar said with a approving nod, "The ancient grove has been cleansed and Juhani's journey down the dark path has been halted. Because of you she once more walks in the light." Then crossing his arms warningly he continued, "Although she has been saved, do not dismiss what has happened to her. Juhani is both dedicated and true to the ideals of the Jedi Order but she was still vulnerable to the Dark Side; as are we all."

"So what happened to her anyway, she said something killing her master," Rachel said still unaware of what completely happened.

Zhar paused a moment to collect his words, "Juhani struck her Master in anger, injuring her greatly, but Quatra, her master, choice to test her in this way. It seems to have made a point."

Rachel felt her eyebrow rise, "That seemed a little bit extreme," she said slowly. It seemed like a highly ineffective way to train, if the students kill the teachers.

"Perhaps," Zhar replied matching the gesture, "Nonetheless, Congratulations, Padawan you have proven yourself worthy of the Jedi Order. Let me be the first to welcome you in the Jedi Order proper," he finished smiling as he held out his hand.

"Thank you," Rachel said smiling as she took his hand.

"Your training is now complete young Padawan," Master Vandar said approvingly. Then the tone of his voice dropping he continued, "Now it is time to discuss the vision you and Bastila shared."

Rachel felt a shiver run down her spine as her mind flashed back to the underground tomb and as she was remained of her supposed link with Bastila, "We have heard of the ruins in your dreams," Vandar continued, "Master Doran recognized them as a series of structures here on Dantooine."

Slowly Rachel nodded rubbing the back of her head, "I had the feeling that they were on Dantooine," she mumbled under her breath."

"You felt right," Master Doran added handing over a data pad, "This particular ruin is east of the enclave."

With out a word Rachel took it and skimmed over the front. It was the location of the ruin and ever piece of information the Jedi had on them, "It's late… I'll make it my first priority in the morning." She had to admit to herself she was tired and was looking forward to spending some time with her crew… and Carth, especially Carth.

"We have already sent a Jedi to investigate," Vandar said solemnly, "and he has yet to report back. Perhaps sending him was a mistake in the first place. The Force has selected you for this task and is guiding you thorough your visions. This is why the Council has decided it should be you who explores the ruins."

"Be vigilant," Master Doran quickly added, "The secrets to stopping Malak and the Sith may be hidden within those ruins, overlook nothing."

Rachel blinked the sleep out of her eyes and tried to keep from yawning, "First think in the morning, Master Vandar."

XXX

Rachel lay on her back staring up at the ceiling on the bed next to Carth in the quarters they now nominally shared. Stretching slowly she realized she was exhausted and sore, but in a good way. But she also now had something else to worry about. When she had gotten back to the ship she had arrived just in time to stop Mission from popping the head-tails off another Twi'lek. After a brief scuffle than ended with her using the Force to hold Mission a few feet off the ground too keep her from pummeling the other Twi'lek did she get some answers.

Apparently 'Lena' as the other Twi'lek was called had dated Mission's older brother Griff, an interesting character from what Mission had told her, when they both left Taris. According to Mission it was Lena who made Griff leave her behind, while Lena said it was Griff's idea. After hearing everything they both had to say, Rachel was leaning towards Lena's side of the story.

Though when Mission had found out that her brother had a mining job on Tatooine she been insistent about going and finding him, Rachel having lost her own family when she was little knew how important it was and agree go help find him.

"How could he leave her," Rachel just blurted out bitterly.

Rolling his head to look at her, "You're talking about Griff," Carth guessed, the incident with Mission was really starting to get to her.

"She's family how can you leave family behind like that," She wasn't perfect she knew that but having lost her family she knew how important it was and she would have done anything to keep it.

Wrapping his arms around her Carth answered honestly, "I don't know."

"You have any siblings," she asked.

"No," Carth said with a shake of his head, "I was an only child. You?"

Rachel opened her mouth to say 'no' when an image of a man flashed before her eyes, cold brown eyes and a even colder looking face… brother was the word that lepta into her mind, "Yeah I have a brother," she said knowing it was true and at the same time wondering how she knew.

Whatever Carth said, it was lost on Rachel as she drifted off into sleep.

XXX

_A fifteen year old Revan was caught in between trying to breathe and crying as she leaned up against a wall. The training Master Kreia had put her through had always been hard and tough but recently it has become ridiculously difficult. _

"_Master… one… moment," Revan managed to get out panting heavily. She had just completed a thirty kilometer run with out using her Force abilities to strengthen or aid her and she was dead on her feet._

"_Come child we don't have much time," Master Kreia said impatiently._

"_But Master, why can't I use the Force?", Revan panted confused. Everything the other Masters had taught her to rely and trust in the Force._

_Sighing the Jedi Master contemplated what to say next, "The Force is a powerfully ally…but most Jedi now use it as a crutch it stead of a tool. Learn to rely on your own wits and strengths you'll need them in the War that is to come."_

_Revan felt her head shoot up to look her Master square in the eyes, "War?"_

_Motioning Revan to sit down, Kreia did the same, "Your Kin are becoming increasingly aggressive in the Outer-Rim. Hundreds of non-aligned worlds have already fallen. Its only a matter of time before the are ready to attack the Republic itself."_

_As Kreia was speaking Revan shifted uncomfortably, she knew what her Master was saying was true, but to her someone she respects, she loves, say it out loud is something else entirely. She didn't want to fight her own kin but she would if she had to._

_Placing a hand on Revan's shoulder to comfort her Kreia continued, "I intend to forge you into a weapon to defend the Order and the Republic for they will need one when the time comes. You will be a warrior that even…," Kreia paused, "that even your father will fear," she finished dramatically._

_Revan felt her eyes widen as her Master finished her statement. She had never known her father. "My… my father," Revan said weakly._

_Once again her Master sighed, "I debated whether or not I would ever tell you, Revan."_

_"Tell me? Tell me what," Revan said quickly, even desperately, "It's my father I have a right to know!"_

_"Perhaps you do," Kreia answered cryptically, "Though what is said cannot be unsaid. Are you sure you want to know. It will bring to nothing but pain."_

_Revan actually hesitated, whatever her Master was she was no liar, "I…I… I want to know."_

_"Your father," Kreia began sadly, "is Mandalore the Ultimate. He is also the man who is responsible for the murder of your mother."_

_Revan felt her breath caught in her throat. Her… father was one of the most powerful and feared men in the galaxy. Plus he… her mother's death. "Why?" was Revan question as she choked through tears, "Why?"_

_"Your mother had been a member of the Crimson Guard, Mandalore's bodyguard unit. They had an affair… which resulted in her becoming pregnant with you. Knowing that if their affair ever came to light there would be a scandal that could cost Mandalore his position and his title, your mother fled to Concord Dawn."_

_Rachel nodded, tears streaming down her face. She understood the seriousness of what happened. Marriage was one of the most scared rituals in Mandalorian culture to break it was an unforgivable offense. The child born from such an adulterous union would have been shunned and an outcast. Her mother would have had to flee, "Why he kill my mother?"_

_Wrapping Revan in a loving embrace in an attempt to lessen the blow of her next sentence, "The men he sent to your home weren't sent to kill your mother. She merely got in the way. They… were sent to kill you."_

_"Me?"_

_"Your living, breathing proof of his infidelity," Kreia said softly, "I guess he was afraid someone would find out and use you do dethrone him." Tightening her embrace as Revan began to weep openly Kreia said, "I'm so sorry Revan."_

_XXX_

Darth Malak, Dark Lord of the Sith, Supreme Ruler of the Sith Empire stood gazing out of the window of his private chambers at his newest conquest. However the Sith Lord's mind was not on his most recent campaign but on the starling news he had receive nearly a week ago from the bounty hunter Calo Nord.

Karath had hired the hunter to bring him Bastila and sent him off none the wiser, but Malak's thought were not of Bastila but of the woman with her. Malak hardly believed his own eyes when he saw the footage from Calo's goggle recorders. However he could not deny what he saw; Revan was still alive.

That thought made the reining Dark Lord very nervous. Revan was never one to forgive a sin against, especially betrayal. When the feared coup never materialized Malak was left more confused than when he found out Revan was still alive. What was she doing, what was she planning.

Malak knew Revan still had strong supporter especially within the Black Hand and that made him the angriest. While Malak had his own strong supporters in the military, he only had the nominal loyalty of the rank and file of the Army, Navy and Marines. Malak had no support from within the Black Hand itself. With the Black Hand Revan had played it very close to the chest, while Malak knew the approximate strength of its combat legions that fought along side the regular army, the Special Operations and Intelligence branches were still as much a mystery to him as when he had been Revan's apprentice. He didn't even know where it was headquartered.

For even six months into his reign the Sith Empire was still Revan's. He ruled because the Sith believed Revan had been killed in battle with the Republic. If his treachery was brought to light he could have a rebellion from within his own ranks on his hands. It infuriated him that he had to rule the Empire in Revan's name. He was still in his Master's shadow.

Malak still wasn't sure of how to deal with Jaster, the Commanding General of the Black Hand for if Revan was still alive than the leader of the Black Hand was surely in league with her. That presented him with an interesting conundrum. If he went to the Mandalorian and demanded to know if Revan had contacted him and it turned out that Jaster didn't know then he would have created a whole new set of problems. If Jaster already knew then it would alert him that Malak knew as well.

Malak let out a mechanical roar of anger in frustration as he let his Force powers of the leash. Seeing red the Dark Lord lashed out at anything around him and in seconds the room was destroyed. Panting from the exertion Malak could only hope that Calo Nord succeed in killing Revan, if not… well then things could get complicated.

XXX

The next day Rachel, Carth, Bastila and Canderous her headed out in a land speeder borrowed from the Jedi Enclave to investigate the ruins. Carth sat up front driving the speeder, dressed in his bright orange Republic flight jacket with his two blaster pistol's strapped to his hips. Canderous wore a full set of red Mandalorian battle armor that he took from the raider he killed and he sat cradling his blaster cannon in his arms. Bastila wore her form fitting Jedi robes with her saber hanging from her belt. Rachel who was riding shotgun wore the more conventional standard brown Jedi robes with her sabers on her belt.

"So Carth," Canderous said leaning forward from the back seat, "You fought in the Mandalorian Wars. Which battles were you in we may have faced each other in combat."

Rachel overheard this and was tempted to intervene but stopped, Canderous and Carth were you very different people with two very different attitudes and if they were going to work together they needed to be able to settle their differences.

"I try not to think about the War," Carth said evenly, "and the horrors of battle. I try to look to the future."

"The 'horrors' of battle," Canderous scoffed, "I'm disappointed with you Carth. All true warriors should love the sting and the thrill of battle."

"I'm not a warrior, I'm a soldier," Carth said his voice tinged with anger, 'The difference between warriors and soldiers is that warriors fight for glory and their twisted sense of honor," he said nearly spitting out the last, "Soldiers fight to protect and serve the defenseless; mostly from warriors."

Canderous looked amused at Carth's little speech, "Cute Republic, real cute. I bet you tell yourself that every night before you go to sleep. Honor and glory is what matters. Honor through battle, honor through victory."

Now it was Carth's turn to scoff, "Victory? Refresh my memory but didn't you lose the last war."

"We may have lost," Canderous snarled, "But I was at Malachor I saw how many thousands of Republic soldiers and hundreds of Jedi died to stop us. You had us outnumbered ten to one, you had more men, more ships, more weapons but we made the galaxy shake in fear."

"Cute story," Carth said mocking what Canderous said earlier, "I bet you tell yourself that every night before you go to sleep."

It was now that Rachel decided to intervene before they killed each other, "Now I'm sure both sides have merit," she said in a tone the broke no argument, looking between her lover and Canderous, "and besides were here."

Both Carth and Canderous nodded agreeing to put their differences behind them for now as Carth gently set the speeder down and they got out.

"I thought it was going to come to blows for a second there," Bastila whispered leaning over to Rachel.

"Men," was Rachel's only reply.

The field they were in was dotted by large stone pillars rising out of the ground and at the end of the colonnade of pillars laid a large earthen structure rising out of the ground. Making there way over to the structure Rachel noticed the entrance actually laid below ground level as the path gently fell and descended into the earth.

As the stood at the large and impenetrable looking door Canderous rapping his knuckles against the door, "Frack, don't think I have enough thermal charges to blow that door open," He said looking through his bag, "How-,"

As he was talking Rachel approached the door not quite knowing what she was doing placed her and on the door and like Revan did in her vision shot a brief pulse of Force energy into the door. The door seemed to rumble for a second before slowly sliding back.

"Oh never mind," Canderous grumbled as he saw that the door was opening.

"Maybe next time Canderous," Rachel said looking back with a smile. Then turning back around she removed her sabers from her belt as Bastila did the same and Carth and Canderous readied their weapons.

Slowly they entered the entered the underground chamber. As Rachel entered she got a good look at her surrounding. This place was old, Rachel realized, a fine layer of dust covered everything and numerous cobwebs hung from every corner. The walls were made of stone and covered in strange markings that ran down the sides and onto the floor.

The moment Canderous, who last the last man through the door, crossed the threshold of the chamber the large stone door slid back into place with a mighty slam plunging the chamber into darkness.

The moment the lights went out everyone froze, not being able o see they didn't want to anciently trigger some kind of booby-trap, "I don't suppose any brought a bloody glow rod," Bastila said sarcastically. From the silence that answered her it seemed that no one had thought to brink one, "Oh that's just perfect."

"You have your lightsabers," Carth added helpfully.

"Yeah but they don't give off much light," Rachel said apologetically, "I wonder…," she trailed off. Move slowly as not to fall she made her way to the wall. Rachel didn't quite know what was happening but she was being drawn here. Reaching up she placed her hand on hand on the wall. It was ice cold but she didn't remove her hand. Suddenly the writing on the wall beneath Rachel's hand began to glow. The glow then began to spread out ward in all directions until the entire room was bathed in a soft white glow.

"How did you know to do that," Bastila asked softly staring at her.

Rachel paused, ever sense Taris she'd been doing things that she couldn't explain, she just knew things that she shouldn't. Every time she had asked Zhar he had simply told her it was the Force acting in her, but know she was starting to question that answer.

"I don't know how," she answered honestly, "Lets get moving," she finished with a gesture to the door at the end of the room. The team moved cautiously through the room not quite aware of what would happen.

Like with the entrance Rachel reached out and sent a pulse of the Force into the slab of stone. Like with the entrance the door rumbled and slowly slid back revealing another large room, though in the middle of this one sat a large spider like droid.

Carth and Canderous immediately trained their weapons on the droid, while Rachel and Bastila ignited their sabers slipping into a defensive stance. The droid raised itself up on its for legs and blared out something in a language Rachel didn't recognize, which was something as she knew a lot of alien languages.

"What did it say," Carth asked her his pistols still trained on the droids optical cluster.

"I didn't recognize it," Rachel said playing over the alien words in her mind. The droid however was not deterred and again spoke, this time in a different harsh and guttural language. Again Rachel didn't recognize language, "Bastila," she called out hoping the young Jedi knew what the droid was saying.

Bastila had an intense look of concentration on her face, "No, I do not recognize the language, but I think the machine it shifting through several different languages, trying to find a way to communicate. It seems the droid can understand us, lets just hope its programmed with a language we understand."

The next language that came out was slow, reptilian and sounded like it was coming from under the water but Rachel understood, "I can replicated any language of the slaves of the builders," the machine said ominously.

"Hey I understood this one" Rachel said frowning, "It sounds like Selkath. I recognize most of the words, but it sounds strange."

"I recognize it as well and you're right that is Selkath though an archaic dialect at that," Bastila said amazed and confused at the same time, "Why would a droid on Dantooine be programmed to speak Selkath?"

Behind them Carth and Canderous had lowered their not quite sure what was going on anymore, "You two going to tell us what's going on there," Carth said as he wasn't able to understand the machine.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah one second Carth," Rachel said caught up in the machine.

"Communication was necessary so the slaves of the builders could construct this temple to the proper specifications," the Machine spoke, rising up on it haunches, "But you are not a slave species of the builders nor are you builders. You are like the ones you came before."

Bastila through a quick glance at Rachel before speaking, "It must be referring to Revan. The Dark Lord and Malak were here, they likely encountered the droid when the passed through."

Rachel faced the droid, "What are you? What's your purpose here?"

"I am the Overseer," the machine said with a trace of what sounded like pride, "The Builders programmed me to enforce discipline among the slaves as they constructed this temple as a monument to the power of the Star Forge. At completion all slaves were executed and I was programmed to serve should a Builder return to seek knowledge of the Star Forge."

The Star Forge that was the second time Rachel at heard that name. Malak had used it in her visions and now this droid, "The Star Forge," she questioned.

"The Star Forge is the glory of the builders, the apex of their infinite empire. It is a machine of ultimate might, a tool of unstoppable conquest."

Rachel took it in. What ever this 'Star Forge was it didn't sound good, "But what is it exactly."

The machine seemed to shake for a second as if it wasn't sure how to answer the question before it repeated, "The Star Forge is the glory of the builders, the apex of their infinite empire. It is a machine of ultimate might, a tool of unstoppable conquest."

"I don't think it knows what it is Bastila, though it sounds like the Star Forge is a weapon of some sort or… Forge, wait doesn't that sound like a weapons plant or a factory," Rachel deduced.

Bastila's eyes light up, "Yes that would explain how the Sith managed to create such a massive fleet in so short a period of time. Though I respect the Star Forge is more than a mere factory."

"Who are these Builders that created you," Rachel asked the machine again.

"The Builders are the great masters of the galaxy, the conquerors of all worlds, the rulers of the infinite empire and the creators of the Star Forge," the machine said singing the praise of its creators.

"I never heard of them," Rachel said honestly, turning to Bastila, "You?"

Bastila shook her head, "They must be an extinct race. Though it is strange we have never before heard of their existence. Even the Jedi Archives are devoid of any references to them," frowning Bastila continued, puzzled, "in the years before the Republic the Hutts were a dominant force, but I have never heard of them possessing and empire. In fact no species I know of fits the description."

"Could the builders have been the Ancient Sith," Rachel offered.

"No," the machine said brooking no argument, "The Sith were not the Builders, the Builders were the Builders, rulers of the infinite empire, creators of the Star Forge."

Sighing at the infernal machine Rachel tried again, "How long have you been here."

The machine didn't answer for a second and Rachel could hear the gears whirling instead of it before it spoke, "My chronological circuits indicate it has been ten thousand revolutions of this systems outermost planet around the sun since the builder left."

Bastila who was better with math did the calculations in her head and felt her jaw drop, "Ten thousand revolutions… that's nearly twenty thousand years. If what this droid is say is true than it's almost five thousand years older than the Republic itself. There must be a mistake."

The droid actually sounded angry as it responded, "There is no mistake my systems are perfect, created by the Builders, rulers of the infinite empire, and the creators of the Star Forge."

"What about the ones who came before us, Revan and Malak," Rachel asked.

"The ones you came before you, like you not Builders, not slaves. They sought the wisdom of the Builder and the secrets of the Star Forge," the Machine rambled then its tone becoming ominous, "They proved themselves worthy and they discovered the secrets of the Star Forge beyond the sealed door, unlike him," the Machine finished and pointed its claw and pointing across the room.

Looking over Rachel saw the crumpled remains of an old man covered in burn marks and blaster scoring. Bastila immediately rushed over but it was far too late to do anything, "Oh poor Nemo," Bastila said softly.

"Nemo, oh Damn,' Rachel echoed. She felt bad and was going to miss the old man. He had been nothing but nice to her from the moment she arrived. Turning back to the droid eyes aflame, "How do I prove myself worthy?"

"The proving grounds lie through the doors to the east and the west," the machine said.

Rachel pulled her sabers back off her belt and light them, "Come on lets move," she growled.

The team moved slowly towards the left hand door, weapons drawn. The room they entered while in ascetics was similar to the main chamber, was different in several ways. The statues that had lined the corridor had fell and were broken into many piece covering the floor.

"So what are we looking-" Carth stared to say but was cut off as a large spider like droid similar to the overseer dropped from the ceiling and opened up on them with a hail ruby red blaster bolts. Canderous and Carth both dove behind cover while Bastila and Rachel slipped into a defensive stance to block the incoming fire.

Rachel let the Force guide her action as she used her twin sabers to swat the bolts out of the air and even managed to reflect a few back at the droid, though the reflected bolts dispersed harmlessly when they hit the droid, "Frack," Rachel swore.

From behind their cover both Carth and Canderous emerged and let loose several long burst s into the droid but to no avail the only thing that the bolts did was leave a scorch mark on the hull, "Rachel," Carth shouted over the roar of gunfire, "this isn't working."

"Tell me something I don't know," Rachel growled as she focused on blocking the every increasing quantity of blaster bolts. Suddenly the gunfire died and the main body of the droid spun forty-five degrees, Rachel seeing the turret yelled, "Cover," as the droid let out a long spew of fire.

Rachel just barley managed to get behind cover before the column of flame came roaring past them. Once the flames past them the droid began shooting again blasting away with its cannon.

"Bastila," Rachel shouted to her fellow Jedi, "I have a plan, I need you to draw its fire."

Carth quickly grabbed Rachel's head and crushed his lips to her, "Be careful beautiful," he said as he realized her. "You know me," came her playful response.

As she finished Canderous growled, "Alright you two lovebirds I think we have more important things to do at the moment."

Then turning to Bastila, Rachel readied herself and shouted, "Now!"

Bastila stood up from behind her cover, her saber brandished, while at the same time Carth and Canderous stood up and started shooting. As Rachel hoped the droid focused in on Bastila and opened fire. Vaulting over the rubble she and Carth were using for cover and using the Force to increase her momentum she leapt over the droid. Upon landing facing away from the droid she wheeled around brining her sabers, which were parallel to each other and the ground, around silencing clean through the ancient droid.

The droid seemed confused for a second then teetered and finally fell to the ground in a heap separating into three parts. Rachel stood over the droid as it issued its mechanical death shrieks and then plunged her right hand saber right into its optic cluster which silenced it once and for all.

"Well done," Canderous said approvingly as he stood up and walked over to the downed droid and gave it a kick for good measure.

Bastila gave an approving look, "Well done, I wasn't sure we were going to make it. That was quick thinking," she said as she shut down her saber and returned it to her belt.

"You nearly gave me a hear attack," Carth said finally, "you could of got yourself killed."

"She can handle herself Carth she's a Mando'a," Canderous said scowling at Carth's over protectiveness.

Rachel frowned as well. She understood Carth's concern for her but sometimes she thought he forgot what she was capable, "I'm fine Carth. Now…" she started turning around, "Let's see what was worth guarding so well."

"I believe I've found it," Bastila said as she carefully brushed the dust off a large console.

"I think your right," Rachel agreed as she came up next to it, "Now we just have to figure out what to do."

"Try talking to it," Canderous suggested sarcastically as he found himself a seat on one of the stones.

Bastila whirled around face aflame, "Canderous if you're not going to be helpful then just leave."

"Wait a second," Rachel interrupted pulling out her data pad and extending the universal data jack and inserting it into the open plug she found.

Carth crossed his arms skeptically, "I don't think that's gonna work."

Rachel smiled to herself, "The droid was smart enough to… bingo," she cheered, "the computer's translating."

"What does its say," Bastila questioned.

Rachel read it over then once over again before finally answering, "It's some kind of quiz. 'Name the three types of life giving seed worlds'." Scrolling down Rachel selected Oceanic, Grassland and Arboreal as the three answers.

The moment she selected the answers the computer screened began to flash and the words 'ANSWER CORRECT BREAKING SEAL,' superimposed its self over the screen; then the entire machine shutdown.

Placing her data pad back in her pocket she turned to the others and said, "Now on to the other one."

"We had enough problems with this one how do you plan to deal with the other," Carth asked changing the power pack in his blasters.

We'll try the same way," Rachel said considering her options, "You, Bastila and Canderous will draw its fire and I'll finish it off."

The others agreed and the four made there way back across the main chamber and into the hallway, carefully moving so not to walk into an ambush. Suddenly Canderous took cover and motioned to the end of the corridor where another of the sentry droids sat.

As per the plan Carth and Canderous opened up on the droid with everything they had and as expected the bolts were absorbed harmlessly by the machines armor. The droid responded just as Rachel had hoped by unleashing a withering hail of laser bolts at the team. Bastila stepped into the line of fire her saber flashing as she intercepted the ruby red bolts.

The movement Rachel says that her partner's had the droid's full attention she moved out into the open and using the Force propelled herself in a large arc that would land her behind the droid ready to deliver the final blow.

However the droid had learned from its fellow's mistake. Lowering it hind legs and raising it forward one the droid drew a bead on the Jedi flying through the air and released a long stream of white energy.

Rachel let out a scream of pain as the beam it her and she could fell the stun ray look out he muscles as she collided into the ground. Rachel tried to brass herself for the attack she knew was to come but found she could move. Closing her eyes she waited for the tell-tale sound of a blaster bolt being fired but instead heard a swishing sounded, a mechanical cry and the sound of metal hitting the ground.

"Don't worry she's alright," Bastila noted with some relief in her tone as she rolled Rachel over. Placing her hands on Rachel she let the Force flow into her undoing some of the effects of the stun ray.

"Ahhh frack," Rachel groaned as she felt pins and needles all over her body, "Who knew the damn thing could learn." She tried to pull herself up but failed and almost comically fell back to the ground.

Canderous let out a small laugh ignoring Rachel's glare while Carth went over and through her arm around her neck helping her to stand, "Thanks Carth," she said gruffly as she stood wobbly with his help.

Making sure she wouldn't fall down again and he had her n a good grip he said, "No problem Take me over to the control panel."

Carth did so and Rachel repeated the steps she took with the first console and completed the test. After she finished they headed back to the main chamber where the Overseer sat waiting, "Well done," it said in the gargling speech of the Selkath, "You have proven yourselves worthy you may pass," it finished and crawled away as the door slowly grinded open behind it.

The Chamber beyond was dark and foggy and in the middle of the chamber there was a pyramid made out of metal and as soon as Rachel entered the pyramid split opening like a three petal flower. In the center rose an orb made out of a glossy black material. As soon as the orb reached head-level it began to glow until in exploded in a shower of light that formed into a large three dimensional galactic map and around that map the seductive power of the Dark-Side swirled.

Slowly Bastila approached the starmap, running her hand over the smooth edges, "Its amazing,' she whispered awed, taken back by the energies emanating from the object.

"What is it," Carth said looking at it.

"It's a map," Canderous replied deadpan.

"Enough," Rachel growled with as much strength as she could muster in her current state as Carth glared at their Mandalorian companion. Then Rachel noticed Bastila seemed entranced by the star map, "Get away from the map Bastila," she shouted hastily, feeling the danger that swirled around the map.

Bastila blinked rapidly and moved her hand away from the device, "Yes, yes of course." Wiping her hands on her robes in a gesture of anxiety she continued, "Now we have to discover what this is."

Once more Canderous replied deadpan "It's a map."

"Thank you Canderous," Carth yelled frustration evident in his voice, "We can all see it's a fracking map. The question it's a fracking map to where."

"Hold on I recognize a few of the worlds," Rachel said cocking her head to get a better look. Lifting her arm she pointed at several planets, "That's Maanan, that's Tatooine and that's… Korriban."

"I recognize the others," Bastila said speaking up quickly and excitedly, "Dantooine and Kashyyyk."

"They're several parts missing," Carth commented wit a keen pilot's eye.

"Maybe the other pieces are on maps other worlds listed here," Rachel said with a shrug, a little disappointed she had nearly been killed for a broken map.

"The information from the other maps combined wit this one must show the location of the Star Forge," Bastila said excitedly, "We must inform the council."

XXX

About three hours later Rachel was laying on the bed of her quarters wondering, not for the first time, how the hell she got mixed up in this. The council had just 'ordered' her and Bastila and the rest of her motley crew plus Juhani, the Cathar Jedi who tried to kill her.

Now she was expected to take this crew to track down the rest of the Star Maps. To make matter worst Korriban was a Sith hellhole and heavily defended while Tattoine was nominally under Sith Control. Kashyyyk was a world where the plants would kill you if the Wookiees couldn't find a reason. Finally Maanan the fish people world was one of the only natural worlds in the galaxy and that was only because of the Kolto. The Selkath jealously guarded their world and watched everyone who even entered the system. Finding the Sith super weapon was going to be the most difficult challenge of her life.

There was a soft knock on the bulk head and Carth popped his head in, "They're ready for you."

"Thanks Carth," she said as she stood up and made her way to the main room where everyone had gathered around.

Clearing her throat she began to speak, "I'd like to thank you all for being here and you're probably wondering why you're all here. You all know what we found in the ruins and the Council has assigned Bastila, Juhani and I to track down the others."

Rachel braced herself the council had told her that this was sensitive information and she could share it… well to hell with them, "The maps lead to the Sith super weapon. The one they been using to amass such a large fleet in a short period of time."

As Rachel expected the room erupted in a bust of questions. Raising her hands she yelled, "Quiet down," and waited from everyone to do so. "As Bastila, Juhani and I are the only one's that are members of the Order. Where the only ones they can order to go, for the rest of you its strictly voluntary."

Turning to the first person the one person that she would truly feel better if she stayed behind, "Mission," she called out to the little blue girl.

Mission jolted up from her seat, "Don't worry Rachel I'm with you all the way," she shouted punching her palm, "besides I still owe the Sith for what they did to Taris."

Beside her Zaalbar roared in agreement and Mission translated, "He says he still owes you a life debt, count him in too."

"Canderous?'

The big Mandalorian shifted in he's seat, "Trouble and conflict seems to follow you Rachel. With you we will fight many battles and earn much honor," nodding his head slightly he finished, "command me."

Finally she came to Carth, "Well Captain."

Carth stood, "Actually the Council informed me of this operation and I in turn informed Republic Central Command. They've ordered me to stay on and assist in any way possible and besides," he said throwing a glance over at Rachel, "I got things I need to take care of."

Rachel nodded her head, "Thanks, thank you all. I can't promise this will be easy," she said catching everyone's eyes one at a time, "I can't even promise will all come back alive. What I can promise is that no one will ever get left behind and we will make a difference. Now let's get ready for launch; first stop's Tatooine."

Fifteen minutes the Ebon Hawk lifted out of its birth and ascended into the heavens. Once free of the planets gravity well the ship leapt into hyperspace on a course for Tatooine.

_Ranks of the Jedi except from __**The Old Jedi Order**__by Jedi Historian Toinne Solusar_

_As the Order of the Jedi Knights was a autonomous organization that found itself often engaged in military and police actions it should come to no surprise that Order had a strict rank system._

_The lowest rank in the Jedi Order was the rank of initiate. These were often younglings you were being appraised for their candidacy into the Order proper. _

_The next rank was apprentice. These wee those who paced the initial tests to gain entrance into the Order. Apprentice's often trained together in large groups called 'clans' to learn the most basic teachings and abilities of the Jedi._

_A Padawan was the next position within the Order. A Padawan was an apprentice who'd proven himself, herself of itself worthy enough to attract the attention of a Jedi Knight or Master. The Apprentice or Padawan as they were now know became the older Jedi's personal student who taught them everything they new about the Force. The Padawan would follow their master everywhere, including missions and on the battlefield._

_Once their master deemed them ready a Padawan would face the trails of Knighthood which would consist of four tests; the trails of skill, courage, flesh and spirit. If they passed the trails they would be elevated to Knighthood at an elaborate and secretive ceremony. The knights were the workhorse of the Jedi Order; they acted as soldiers and peacekeepers across the galaxy._

_Once a knight had taken a padawan and successfully trained so that they achieved their own knighthood and was deemed by the Jedi High Council as a powerful enough with the wisdom to use their power properly, he, she or it was eligible for ascension to the rank of Jedi Master. As it was only the High Council of the Jedi could raise a knight to mastership as it was a highly honored position._

_The Highest rank in the Order was both an individual rank and an office; Grand Master of the Jedi Order. The Grand Master was often held as the wisest and most powerful member of the Order, though that was not always the case. Plus the Grand Master had to be of the highest noble quality and pureness of heart as in the wrong the authority could be used to the great determent of the galaxy._

_While the Knights and Masters were the most visible symbol of the Order they were actually smallest segment. Those apprentices and padawans who failed their test and trails and would never become knights were sent to serve in other less know parts of the Order. These parts included the agricultural corps which grew the Order's food and sold the rest to finance their operations. The banking corps was another such group and as its name suggested they were bankers. In the early days of the Jedi had been gifted with many estates and even a few worlds by grateful early planetary governments. _

_With the wealth they'd established they began to give out loans to planetary and interstellar governments and even the Galactic Republic itself. With the interest the collect on the loans they became even wealthier and more powerful. By the time of the Mandalorian War it had been estimated the Republic was over a trillion galactic credits in debt to the Jedi Order. _

_In the Jedi Civil War it would be the Jedi who founded most of campaigns for the Republic in an attempt to hold off Revan. It has been theorized that at the start of the war Revan managed to infiltrate and steal a large amount of currency from the Order and she would confiscate more of it as the war went on. The rational behind this theory is that Revan's Empire never suffered an of the finacial problems new governments face. _


	7. Chapter 6: Tatooine Arrival

**Chapter 6: Tatooine**

_A pair of former Jedi Knights on speeder bikes rode through the relentless heat of Tatooine's twin suns. Revan looked down at the GPS system ingrained into her military issue bike. Seeing that they were approaching their destination she signaled Malak to slow down and stop._

_Revan dismounted from her bike and felt the heat hit her like a physical thing. Fortunately for her the suit of armor she wore contained an integrated cooling system, but even with that it was still hot._

_Lifting a gloved hand, "In there," the Sith Lord pointed to enormous cave. However even from this far away Revan and Malak could see and feel that the cave was not empty. It was currently the home of a very large sleeping bull Krayt Dragon. _

_As they moved closer the creature's gigantic size became even more evident and Malak moved to unhook his saber from his belt but Revan placed her hand on his arm to deter him, "Watch," she said confidently._

_Moving slowly Revan approached the sleeping creature and when she steeped within ten feet the dragons eyes flicked opened and like the overgrow lizard it was its tongue flicked out and back into its mouth._

_Undeterred Revan reached out with the Force and touched the creatures mind issuing a command to fall into a deep sleep. The dragon sat for several moments unmoving before its eyes fell shut and it drifted back to sleep. _

_Turning back to Malak, Revan motioned him forward. He took a look at the dragon and drew his saber intent on killing the dragon but Revan stopped him, "What," he growled. _

_Revan felt anger flare within her at the tone he took, "It's more useful alive as a guardian then as a corpse and never forget who's in charge here," she said with venom in her voice and Malak properly shrunk back cowed for now._

_Navigating their way past the sleeping monster Revan found what she was looking for. In the back of the cave flanked by two crumbling statues of creatures that Revan had never before encounter sat the Star Map and they approached it split in threes to reveal its secrets. _

XXX

"Oh frack," Rachel said as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. These dreams were getting to her. They were helpful but they were still getting to her. Washing her face and she left the lavatory intent on getting some breakfast.

"Padawan Skirta," came as voice from behind her.

Rachel turned and saw Juhani, "Its Rachel… just call me Rachel," she said slightly annoyed. For the entire three day trip Juhani had been annoyingly formal and it was starting to grate on her, "What is it."

"Captain Onasi wants you up in the cockpit," the Cathar said relaying the information, "we're getting ready to enter the atmosphere."

Rachel nodded in acknowledgement and headed towards the cockpit.

XXX

After an hour to land and bribe the guards the _Ebon Hawk_ was docked in one of Tatooine's two ports, Anchorage. Finishing her chat with the dockmaster Rachel turned back to her party. The only people she was truly worried about was Bastila and Juhani who looked out of place in the spacers' outfit Rachel had put them in.

"So Rach what's the game plan," Mission asked curiously; anxious to find her brother.

"Juhani, Bastila, Zaalbar and Carth," she said speaking to the two Jedi, the Wookiee and her pilot, "head over to the Cantina and see what you can dig up."

"The Cantina," Bastila asked the question clear in her voice, "You want to head to a bar? What use will that be?"

"It helped us rescue you," Carth said shrugging.

"Well yes," Bastila stammered crossing her arms over her chest. She was still sore about the rescue part, "Well while we spend time gallivanting with the dregs of galactic society what will you be doing."

"I'll be taking Canderous and Mission to shakedown the Czerka office and see if they know anything," Rachel paused then continued, "Plus a promised Mission I'd look for her brother."

Turning around she said, "Mission, Canderous your with me," then turning back she smirked, "Carth keep I eye on them, we know what a party girl Bastila is," she winked and headed off ignoring spluttering indignation.

XXX

The Black Hand assassin in the nondescript clothes gave a savage twist and the Dark Jedi's neck snapped like a dry twig and the Force-User's lifeless body fell two the ground with a thump. Then the assassin carefully removed dead man's ID and lightsaber to remove any signs that this man had been a follower of Darth Malak.

Exiting the alley the man gave a long around to make sure no one had witnessed his act and then lifted his hand to his ear, "Three to one, over," he called out.

"One here," came the voice in his ear.

"Target neutralized," he said deadpan, "Requesting further orders."

"Standby, main objective has landed need eyes on objective, one out."

'Three' nodded and killed the uplink with 'one.' He didn't know exactly who he was protecting expect that Malak had been worried enough two send a trio of Dark Jedi Knights to eliminate the problem.

Most people thought killing Jedi was hard, but that wasn't true. What was key was you had to surprise them, no sudden bursts of emotion or charging at them with a blaster pistol. You had to be smart and well trained in martial and mental arts. The Black Hand's elite operatives had been active since even before the official opening of the war, hunting Jedi had become an art.

XXX

The Czerka planetary headquarters office was what Rachel would have expected lavish and gaudy, "I'm sorry but were not issuing hunting licenses right now," the Czerka rep said without even looking up.

"Hunting license," Rachel asked slightly confused, "what do we need a hunting license for."

The rep looked up and sighed, "A hunting license is required to leave anchorage Do to the increasing violence and frequency of Tusken raids, Czerka has decided that no one will be allowed outside the walls," the rep said as if she was reading from the company release statement. However when she looked up a calculating gleam came to her eyes when she saw the two armed and armored Mandalorians and Twi'lek girl, "However we might be able to come to an agreement."

Rachel crossed her arms and scowled that last thing she wanted to do was jump through hoops from some Czerka flunky, "What do you want," Rachel growled in her most intimidating voice.

To Rachel's pleasure several beads of sweat appeared on the woman's face and she visibly gulped, "Well as I said before the Tusken Raiders are becoming a very large problem for us and are cutting in on our profits. If things don't start improving the main office with close this operation down."

"Why not simply get the Sith to kill'em," Canderous said voicing Rachel's own opinion.

"Because the Sith do not care about this rock, they're too busy with the Republic to bother and the Tuskens aren't enough of a problem for them to siphon men off the line. So," she said splaying he hands out in front of her, "this is the deal. In exchange for the hunting license I will appreciate it if by chance in your travels you come across the raider if you could… neutralize them. I would be willing to pay a bounty for each of Gaffi Staff… say a hundred credits?"

"You'd pay a hundred credits for a staff," Mission asked confused.

The rep frowned, "Each staff is unique to the warrior and they would never separate from it unless they were dead. Each one is proof of a dead Tusken."

Rachel weighed her options, everything she had heard of these raiders depicted them as mindless savages and she didn't have a choice, "We have a deal with one extra condition. I want information on a certain Twi'lek," she said trailing off.

Mission immediately picked up where Rachel left off, "He's a Rutian Twi'lek like me, he's about one-point seven meters, about sixty kilos and his name's Griff."

The rep clicked a few buttons on her terminal before looking back up and saying, "I'm sorry we don't have anyone of that description working for us here."

The moment her mouth closed Rachel new she was lying as she felt a tug from the Force. Faster than the human eyes could follow Rachel reached across the desk and grabbed her by her collar and yanked her across the desk knocking off all the assorted papers and knick-knacks on the desk.

"I don't like it when people lie to my face," Rachel growled holding the frighten Czerka rep inches from her face, "now about the Twi'lek."

"I don't," the woman started but was silenced when Rachel drew her vibro blade from its hip sheath, "Oh… yes Griff I remember," she said in a hurry eyes wide and glued to the gleaming knife.

"Good," Rachel said dropping her.

The Czerka rep stood and hastily fixed her ruffled clothing attempting to regain some shred of dignity, "Griff… wasn't a very good worker, altering work cards, sleeping on duty and though we couldn't prove it we think he's been stealing supplies from the store."

Mission let out a little sigh of disappointment, "Yeah that sounds like Griff. So where is he."

The Czerka rep hesitated before Canderous gave her a look, taking a gulp she continued, "Eight days ago… uhm he was working with a sandcrawler out in the dune sea when they were attacked by Raiders… his body was never found at the scene so we assume he is still alive and was brought to the Tusken Camp.

Misssion's eyes went wide with horror has she heard this, "Oh gods," she yelled turning to Rachel, "We have to find him."

"Don't worry," Rachel said placing her hand reassuringly on Mission's shoulder, "We'll find him," she finished as she took the license from the rep.

As they exited the building they were met by a very angry Duros, "You can't do this you can just kill them, they're not animals."

"What are you ranting about fool," Canderous rumbled.

"The sandpeople… Tuskens," The Duros exclaimed, "If you could talk to them I'm sure you could come to some kind of agreement." At Rachel skeptical look he continued, "They're only defending their land. How would you feel if someone came into your lands and started drilling?"

Rachel rubbed her eyes thinking before she said, "Can you speak to them."

The Duro pursed his lips before admitting, "No, I don't know of anyone who can speak Tusken, but… " he said pursing his lips, "the Ithroian Yuka Laka has a droid in his shop that can speak it. I'm sure of it.

"Huh fine I'll look into it," Rachel said dismissively. The Duros said a quick thank you and moved off apparently pleased with himself.

"Now what," Canderous said as he pulled out a cigar out, light it and gave a big puff.

"We go visit this Irthorian. Then we'll meet back up with Bastila and the others."

XXX

Rachel stepped into the droid shop, leaving Mission and Canderous waiting outside, and was immediately greeted by an Ithorian, also called 'hammerheads' because of their head's distinctive shape, "Greeting sentient," the creature rambled in his own tongue, one Rachel had also found hard to understand, "Welcome to Yuka's droid emporium. If you see anything you like we make good deal, yes."

Rachel looked around the shop that was litter with droid parts in large crates and deactivated droids resting up against the wall. Rachel gaze in particular was drawn to the large humanoid copper colored droid standing against the far back wall.

"I'm looking for a droid that can speak the language of the Tusken Raiders," she paused before adding, "A Duros said you had one."

The creatures large head bobbed up and down, "Yes, yes Yuka has what you need," he said pointing over to the somehow familiar copper droid, "That one is the one you seek. HK-47"

Rachel looked again at the droid. There were several Corporations that used the initials HK but done of them she knew of mad droids. The only thing she could think that it stood for was Hunter-Killer, "What's the HK stand for.

The shopkeeper hesitated before answering, "Honestly don't know. Its designated HK-47 but doesn't match any standard model," he said confirming the droid's mysterious origins.

Rachel, by herself, walked over to the droid, reached out and activated the droid via the restraining bolt. A faint hum could be heard from inside the droid as it powered up and its eyes glowed a deep blood red before fading to lingering gold.

"Introductionary Statement: Greetings perspective master I am HK-47," droid said cheerfully, then its voice dropped greatly in volume, "Perhaps you'd care to purchase this unit from that incompetent Yuka Laka."

Rachel's felt her eyebrow rise up, "Does he know you talk about him like that?"

"Statement: of course not," the droid replied in a matter of fact tone.

Rachel was intrigued, a droid that could keep secrets, "What are your functions," she asked.

"Informative Statement: My official functions are protocol, translation, as well as combat operations," the droid responded.

"Combat," Rachel asked skeptically looking the droid, "You're a battle droid?"

"Correction," the copper droid added sound somewhat offended, "This unit is no common battle droid; though impossible to determine exactly what my combat functions are as I cannot access my central memory core. Though through observations I have collected suggest I may have specialized in the removal of specified individuals."

That truly intrigued Rachel, "An Assassination droid," she said quietly, extremely deadly and highly illegal. Then something struck her, "What do you mean you can't access your core are you damaged?"

"Unsure Response: It may be that the restraining bolt or it could be I have been damaged… slightly. I can assure you i can still fight," droid said and Rachel swore she could see its eyes glow in anticipation.

Rachel nodded and headed back to the shopkeeper, "How much do you want for it," she asked the Ithorian who looked positively pleased that the prospect of a sale.

The Ithorian tilted his head trying to feel out how much he could take her for, "The droid was collateral to cover a very large debt so… ten thousand credits."

Rachel narrowed her eyes, if the droid truly was an assassin droid then the price would be worth it but Rachel was sure he didn't know that, "Ten thousand that a ridiculous amount for a protocol droid. Plus…," she said gesturing at the droid, "it's beat up and rusted. I'll give you two."

The Ithorian shook his massive head, "No, no that won't recover the cost of the debt, but my first price may have been a little high. Never know if someone will bite on the first try," he paused, "Eight thousand."

"Four thousand," Rachel said crossing her arms, "that is my final offer not a credit more."

When the Ithorian hesitated Rachel turned to leave but the creature stooped her, "Alright deal, four thousand." Rachel nodded and pulled out a credit chip which had access to a discrete account set up by the Jedi Council for this mission. After checking that it was good he handed it back and said, "Droid's all yours."

Rachel went back to HK-47 and removed the restraining bolt, "Come with me."

As she stepped outside her ears were suddenly assaulted by a high pitched drone and felt something tug on her pant leg. Looking down Rachel saw a Jawa in their traditional brown cloaks peaking rapidly.

"What's the little stain want," Canderous growled.

"Don't know,' Rachel said with a shrug, "Don't speak Jawa," then turning to her knew droid she asked, "HK, translation."

"Translation: Ninety-eight percent chance that the miniature meatbag wants your help to locate several missing members of his tribe," the droid reported deadpan

Ninety-eight," Rachel echoed, "What's the other two percent?"

To Rachel it seemed that HK actually became excited, "Two percent probability that miniature meatbag is looking trouble and needs to be blasted. Though that may be wishful thinking on my part."

Looking down at the Jawa Rachel shook her head, "I'm sor…," but then mid sentence trailed off. Rachel suddenly realized that the Jawa's knew Tattooine better than anyone else. Getting down on one knee so she could look the yellow-eyed creature in the eyes she asked, "Do you know anything about a Star Map. It would be very old."

The Jawa's nodded up and down very quickly and rattled something off; HK translated, "The meatbag knows of what you speak and says that if you rescue his clansmen he will tell you what he knows."

"Deal," Rachel said standing back up.

As they turned and started to head to the Cantina, Mission suddenly spoke out, "Meatbag?"

XXX

On board the Sith Flagship Leviathan Malak paced angrily through his quarters pausing once and again to look out the observation window. The Dark Lord of the Sith was angry and pissed, well he was always angry so he was just pissed.

To make matters worse Malak was sure exactly why he was so pissed. He had received word from Calo Nord that he had just arrived on Tatooine and the assignation attempt was underway. Hopefully Revan would soon be dead and all his fears would be dead with her.

Perhaps he felt like a coward for first firing on her ship in the middle of a pitched battle and then hiring an assassin to kill her instead of following the ancient tradition of the Sith and claim the title of Dark Lord through combat. Despite his reputation Malak was no fool. He knew he would not survive in a fight with Revan she was power; Revan had a strength he knew he could never match.

Slamming his fist into the wall with such ferocity that the durasteel buckled. Malak roared in rage at the situation, why couldn't have she just died the first time. If Calo failed and in all probability he would Malak would have to come up with another plan. In the deepest portions of his mind that small part of him that had not been consumed by the Darkside silently wondered how had it come to this?

How had he come to betray his only childhood friend, the woman he had once loved so dearly? He still remembered the way her golden hair fell round her head, the way the corner of her lip twitched when she was trying not to laugh and the wonderful sounds she made when they made love.

For a second the Dark Lord's heart softened but quickly hardened again as the Darkside reasserted its hold over him. Cursing himself for his weakness Malak set back to the task at hand destroying Revan and increasing his power. Like a flash of lighting a thought, a horrible, terrible idea came to him.

For he knew in his heart of hearts that he would have to fight Revan before this tale was through and he wanted to skew the odds in his favor as far as he could get them.

XXX

The cantina Rachel and her team entered was to Rachel's disbelief was even sleazier than the one on Taris. Along the sides of the walls there were scantily stripper and probably part time whores dancing vulgarly on their poles while intoxicated men of many different species drunkenly cheered. In the center was a long bar which served any type of intoxicant it whether legal or illegal.

Rachel opened here mouth to suggest that this wasn't the place for someone of Mission young age to be, but she shut her mouth as quickly as she opened it. Mission had probably seen worst than this in her young life.

Rachel was bumped by and elder lady as she attempted to leave the Cantina, "Sorry," the woman said as she headed out the door.

"No problem," Rachel said frowning and watching the woman as she left, there was something familiar about her put she just couldn't place.

Shaking it off Rachel scanned the bar and found Carth sitting nursing a drink while the rest of his team sat at a corner booth in the back, "Canderous get a drink, Mission-"

"I'm going head over and see Zaalbar," she said dashing off to talk to her furry friend while Canderous grunted and headed over to the bar to find something to drink.

Rachel turned to her new assassin droid, "HK watch Mission and if anyone tries to hurt her blast them, understood," she said dead series about protecting Mission.

"Joyful statement," the droid said is eyes glowing red as it hefted the new blaster rifle Rachel bought for it, "I hope I get to kill something." The killing machine clumped through the crowed who early got out of the demonic droid's way.

Rachel shook her head as she headed over to the bar to take a seat next to Carth, but was interrupted as a large drunk human man placed himself between her and the bar, "Hey babe looking for a good time," he slurred as he attempted to grope her apparently to drunk not to even frightened by the Mandalorian armor.

Rachel looked at the drunk with disgust, "If you know what's good for you you'll leave right now," Revan threatened in a voice that would cause most sane men to piss themselves.

The man however was too drunk or too stupid to care, "Come on you whor-"was all he got before Rachel slugged him in the face with a vicious right-hook.

The punch was followed by a sick cracking sound and a 'thump' as the body it the floor. Taking a seat on the stool next to Carth she dug a coin out of her pocket and tossed it to the barkeep, "Sorry for the mess."

Rachel noticed Carth had had his hand resting on the butt of his right sidearm the whole time. He apparently wasn't going to let anything happen to his lover, "Is he dead," the pilot questioned.

"No," Rachel shrugged rubbing her hand, "I just broke his jaw, the bastard should learn to be more fracking polite," she finished smiling at the last part. Reaching out she playfully snatched his drink away and took a gulp, ignoring Carth's protest.

Carth laughed as Rachel nearly gagged as the liquid burned it's way down her throat, "Damn," she coughed, "We could run the _Hawk_ on this stuff."

Carth reached over and took the drink away from and took a small sip from the glass wincing as it burned its way down, "Baby sips," she said then added tilting his head towards the copper droid, "What's with the droid."

"HK? Bought him," she said rubbing her throat, "He speaks Tusken, plus he's an assassin droid thought he might be useful."

"An assassin droid… aren't those illegal," Carth said casting a worried look over towards the machine.

"No," Rachel said shaking her head, "They're highly illegal," she said finished with a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

"What's the difference," he asked, his eyebrow rose curiously.

"Ten years hard labor," she said with a shrug and a smile, "or that's what HK said at least. So," she added on, "Learn anything interesting."

Carth let loose a sigh and waved for his glass to be refilled. The bartender came over a refilled the glass with a clear green liquid. Carth took a deep swig from the glass wincing as it went down, "Nothing about any Star Map, but we met Bastila's mother."

"Her mother," Rachel said surprised and she quickly thought back to the woman who bumped her on the way out. Titling her head in the direction of the door, "The older woman who was leaving as we came in," she questioned.

"Yeah that's her," he said taking another drink.

"Didn't go well I take it?"

Raising his glass in a mock salute Carth nodded, "Yep got into a big fight," she said then a light smirk touched his face, "Never seen the Princess lose her cool before."

Ordering her own drink from the bar, Corellian scotch, "What'd they fight about," she asked, she might not of like Bastila but it didn't mean she didn't care.

The smirk fell from Carth's face and he let out another sigh, "Her dad died killed by a Krayt Dragon. From they way Bastila talked about him she must have bee a great guy. Anyway the mother wants us to look for his holo-journal."

Rachel's eyes went wide, "Do we have any idea were it might be, this is a big planet after all," she asked confounded, what did she want them to do… search the entire planet?

"Nope," Carth said with a shake of his head reflecting Rachel's dismay, "So how'd your search go, better than ours hopefully."

Rachel didn't answer right away as her shot glass arrived. Reaching out she took the glass and downed the shot in a single gulp savoring the taste as it went down her throat, doing much to relieve the burn sensations Carth's drink had caused.

After slamming her shot glass down on the table she spoke saying, "We definitely had better luck then you we found a Jawa leader who said that if we rescued three members of his clan who were taken prisoner by the Tusken Raiders then he would tell us the location of the Star Map."

"You believe him," Carth questioned skeptically as it was in his nature to mistrust people.

Rachel shrugged once more, "The Jawas have been on this Force forsaken rock longer than anyone," she paused the reconsidered, "Except maybe the Tuskens but sure as hell aren't gonna talk."

"So let me get this straight were gonna take on an entire tribe of Tuskens just the seven of us. Do we even know how many of them there are," Carth asked concered about the numbers.

Rachel had to give him that the odds certainly weren't in there favor, "I doubt there could be more than a few hundred of them," she said tongue-in-cheek and had the pleasure of watching Carth choke on his drink, "besides," she continued more somberly, "They have Mission's brother and I'd promised her we'd rescue him."

"If he's still alive… the Tuskens from what I hear aren't know to be merciful," Carth said grimly.

"Yeah if he's still alive," she echoed casting a significant glance a the young blue Twi'lek she had maternal instincts for, "I don't want her coming on the mission… just in case."

Carth nodded in agreement.

Digging in her pocket Rachel slammed the credits on the table to pay for her shot and said, "Come on we've got planning to do."

XXX

It took the better part of the day to come up with an acceptable plan and gather two landspeeders that they would use to taker them across the dune sea. The plan entailed the crew splitting up into three teams, Rachel and Carth would take the first speeder, while Bastila, Juhani and HK-47 took the second landspeeder. Canderous, T3-M4 and Mission, the latter of which only agreed to stay behind after nearly a half hour of arguing, would stay behind and guard the ship.

Rachel smiled as she pressed the accelerator hard into the floor of the speeder causing the machine to accelerate even faster, "Carth how long till we reach the camp," she yelled over the roar of the engine. It was already getting dark and she didn't feel like hitting anything.

"About eighty kilometers," he yelled from the passenger seat where he held on for dear life.

Looking down Rachel saw she was doing in and around a hundred and fifty kph, they should be their in about a half hour she started to saw something when Juhani's accented voice came over the comm., "Rachel," she had finally started to call the new Jedi by her first name, "Do so see that smoke ahead?"

Rachel squinted and sure enough saw the smoke as they approached she realized that iot was coming from one of Czerka's massive Sandcrawlers used for mining on the desert world. As they approached they realized that the miner had been severely damaged with large gaping holes blown in its superstructure.

Rachel ordered the tea, to stop and get out, which they did and were immediately assaulted by the smell of burning and rotting flesh. Bastila who was far from accustomed to the smells and sights of battle threw her hand over her mouth in a failed attempt to keep her lunch down. Juhani with a Cathar's heightened sense of smell didn't fare to well either. Carth being a naval officer fared better than the two young Jedi but still found still himself sick to his stomach. Rachel fared the best of all being a former Republic Commando.

The source of the smell was perhaps even worse then the smell. The bodies of the crawler's crew and mining team, human and alien alike, and been horrible mutilated. Some had been nailed to the crawler's massive treads while others had be staked and left to rot in the scorching sun. By this point even Rachel had to cover her nose.

"By the Force," Bastila whispered shocked, "Who would do such a horrid thing."

Rachel didn't answer right away and instead headed towards a glint she saw from piece of metal half buried in sand. Reaching down she pulled a Gafi stick from the sand and held it in both hands, "I think we have our answer," she said her voice tinged with rage.

Suddenly her Force senses flared in warning, "Everyone down," she shouted as she dropped to the ground.

Bursting from the ground was a bouncing mine, it leapt up about a meter and then exploded showering the area with shrapnel. Fortunately the team followed her orders and hit the deck so no permanent damaged was caused beyond superficial scars on HK's body.

Rachel head snapped up as she heard a savage war cry and a horde of maybe twenty to thirty Tusken raiders rose from the sand like ghosts and swarmed down upon them. Rachel along with Bastila and Juhani pulled her lightsabers and assumed a defensive stance; while Carth and HK-47 hefted their weapons and fired, cutting down the merciless raiders.

The ferocious horde of Tusken raiders wielding their crude gafi sticks charged at Rachel and her team. Rachel waited till the last second before springing into action dodging the first raiders swing and allowing his attack to sail past her before slashing at his back. Spinning back around she quickly decapitated two more raiders.

A quick glance at Bastila and Juhani confirmed they were reeking carnage on the Tusken raiders swiftly cutting through the savages. Rachel called the Force to her and let loose a powerful wave of the Force that slammed into half a dozen raiders killing them instantly. Though even that didn't deter the rest, they just kept coming and Rachel, Bastila Juhani, Carth and HK just kept cutting them down.

Finally the surviving two raiders broke and started to run back across the desert, Rachel bit her lip she knew if they made it back they would alert the camp making their mission that much harder, "HK," she said getting the droids attention, "Take them out."

The assassin droid wordlessly raised its rifle and it spoke twice sending two ruby red bolts streaming across the field that slammed into the back of the fleeing raiders.

"Rachel," Bastila snapped, "What are you doing they were fleeing… they weren't a threat anymore. This is not the Jedi way," her eyes filled with loathing as she glared at Rachel, "Jedi do not kill unless we have no other choice."

Rachel sighed rubbing her eyes and Bastila's naivety, "If they survived they would have alerted the camp to our presence then we'd never rescue Mission's brother and the Jawas, therefore never finding the star map and Malak could very well win this war, is that what you want," she finished hotly.

Bastila held Rachel's glare for several more seconds before bowing her head in submission, "I… see your point… I don't like it but I understand."

Rachel decided that she had to make Bastila understand and understand know she couldn't afford to have her question her orders in the field. Reaching out she grabbed Bastila by the collar and yanked her close.

"Heh," Carth said shocked while at the same tome Juhani shouted, "Padawan!"

Not paying attention to them she focused on Bastila who had gone white as a sheet, "Now listen to me princess, we're at war you understand that, right?"

Bastila nodded.

"We," she started slowly like she was talking to a child, "outnumbered, outgunned and surrounded, I'm no idiot. I know the Republic is on its last leg and growing desperate, we wouldn't be out here otherwise. In order to have a hope in hell of surviving we need to be willing to do some…," she paused searching for the right word, "unpleasant things or the Jedi and Republic can kiss their collective asses goodbye," then she continued in a low growl, "Your damn council brought me in because they needed me so we do things my way."

Rachel let go and Bastila fell to the sand with a thump, "I can be a bitch I know that but we need to do this. Now get in the landspeeder."

Bastila nodded and stood red faced and upset but didn't argue and headed back to the speeder. Juhani gave Rachel a calculating stare but didn't say anything as she too returned to the speeder.

HK-47's head followed the two female Jedi as they headed back to the speeder before snapping back to Rachel, "Disappointment: I was hoping for some bloodshed," the droid said as he too went back to the vehicle.

Carth looked at Rachel frowning and said, "Wow I didn't know you could be that scary…" he paused, "I hope your never that angry with me."

"Never gonna happen," she said smirking as she planted a light kiss on his lips, "Now lets go."

XXX

"Tell me what I wish to know and I can make this stop," the General of the Black Hand said with faux sympathy as towered over his prisoner a Duros male and Admiral Dodona's aide-de-camp. It had be a small coup to get the man out of Republic Admiralty on Couralag and behind the lines.

The Duros was badly beaten and bloodied with bright orange blood seeping from his mouth and numerous wounds all over his body. Working his mouth he ground out, "Go to hell," and spit in the face of the Black Hand leader.

Jaster Skirta was not amused as he wiped the salvia from his face. Giving a signal the interrogator pressed a button on the wall near the door and the chair on which the Duros was strapped too light up like an exploding warship. The poor creature screamed in torment until Jatser finally gave the signal for the torture to stop, "Now lets try this again, what do you know about Revan, what did the Jedi do to her, what are they after."

"I don't know," the Duros lied and Jaster backhanded across the face for it. The Duros spat blood and started at the General with hateful eyes.

"I grow tried of this," Jaster said wearily as he pulled a long thin dagger from his boot and waved it in front of the Duros's eyes which followed it fearfully, "This is the last time I will ask before permanent damage will be caused."

So far all the suffering inflicted on the officer could be easily repaired. The Duros licked his dried out lips and said once more, "Go to hell you Sith bastard."

Jaster didn't even hesitate and plunged the tip of the dagger into the Duros's left eye and slowly pulled the eye from its socket as the Republic officer screamed in agony. Finally with a sickly pop the eye came free and Jaster held it up in front of the alien's one still good eye for him to see.

The screaming got even louder.

"Now," Jaster said his voice ice cold, "Shall I take the other eye or can we talk."

"Alright, alright, alright," the Duros said pleadingly, "I'll tell you what I know just please stop," he sobbed.

Jaster nodded and scrapped the eye off his dagger, wiped it down and slid the dagger back in his boot, "Very good, now start."

"Darth Revan was… was captured not killed at the Rhen Var… as was commonly believe," he said gritting his teeth in pain, "In the ambush she was grievously injured and as a result the Jedi Bastila was able to capture her."

"Then what," Jaster asked impatiently, he already this.

"The reports…," the he started obviously pained, whether from the psychical pain for the pain of his betrayal was unknown, "stated that the Jedi council did something to her… to her mind. They were supposed to mine her unconscious mind for information about the Sith."

"That seems like an inordinate risk to take," Jaster mused, "Darth Revan is one of if not the most powerful Force-users in the galaxy. Its foolish to think you can control her."

"The Jedi thought they could contain her. The _Endar Spire_ was supposed to serve as the interrogation facility, the thought was keeping it mobile would lessen the chance of you… you guys finding it," he laughed slightly, "but the _Spire _was pressed into he hit and fade attack on Taris and everything went to hell after that."

"How so?"

"Despite the objections of Republic Central Command the Jedi Council went a put Revan on their own assignment. The sent her after something called the Star Forge," the Duros licked his lips, "That's all I know I swear," he finished pleadingly.

General eye the alien plead stare before finally say, "I believe you Major," and stood up as he exited the cell he gave the guard a discrete nod.

Waiting for him outside the cell was the aristocratic intelligence officer Reinhardt, "Very good General if not a bit…crude," he said grudgingly crossing his arms.

The General shrugged uncaring, "It gets the job done."

The reverberating echo of a blaster shot

XXX

Rachel and her whole team minus Canderous, Mission and T3-M4 who were back protecting the ship laid on looking over the crest of a sand dune at the large Tusken encampment below.

"Must be hundreds of them," Carth whispered and he handed over the macro-binoculars to Rachel.

Taking them she looked down at encampment seeing watch Carth saw and sure hundreds of the raider milling about in the camp, men women and children. Those were only the ones she could see, "So a straight fight's out of the question" as she handed the glasses over.

"Perhaps we could sneak in under the cover of night," Juhani purred as she looked through the macro-binoculars.

Looking up at the fact the one of Tatooine's twin suns were still up she added, "Will have to wait till the sun goes down before its safe to start."

Rachel nodded, "HK how long till the second sun goes down"

The droid was silent for a second as it computed, "Answer: Seven hours, twenty-nine minutes and fifty-four seconds. Then we have less than three hours before the first sun comes back up."

Rachel let out a ragged breath, "Alright we'll set up watches. I'll take up the first one."

The she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked over and saw Carth with a concerned look on his face, "Rachel I'll take first watch you look beat."

Rachel smiled, "Thanks Carth," she said turning on her back and sliding down the dune. Hoping back into the landspeeder she rested her head against the head rest and closed her eyes.

XXX

_Malak lay on his back his hand held up his hand in attempt to warn off harm. Over him Revan stood the tip of her right-hand saber at his throat and held her other saber at her side, "Yield," she in a voice that was cold as the frozen tundra of Hoth._

_Malak nodded and winced gingerly touching his face where Revan had hit him hard during their supposedly 'friendly' duel. When he removed his hand he found it slick with blood, "Revan I know your pissed," he said softly, "I don't think I can survive much more of this."_

_Revan's expression softened as she looked at herb eaten friend, deactivating her sabers she helped him up, "I'm sorry Malak. It's just…," she sighed as she began to pace about the training room, "Mandalore…," she paused, "my father," she almost sobbed, "is killing millions of innocents in the Outer Rim and the Republic does NOTHING," she snarled._

_With the last out burst she through a powerful Force blast into the rack of training weapon, shattering the rack, sending the weapons flying in every direction and cracking a significant part of the wall._

"_Revan you need to calm down," Malak said the fear for and of his friend showing freely on his face._

"_Calm down," she shouts with a mix of disbelief and rage, "Millions are dying or being enslaved on the Outer-Rim and the Republic and the Jedi sit and do nothing saying 'if we leave them along they won't bother us, but that a load of bull!"_

"_I know it is," an eerie sounding voice came from behind them. _

_Malak actually jumped as Kreia spoke from behind him. He'd never liked Revan's master and found her extremely freighting. _

_Revan whirled, "And what are you doing about it, master," she snarled, "You know that the Republic will be my father's next target. Once he finished with the Outer-Rim, once he's absorbs it resources and populations into his war-machine, he'll be ready to attack the Republic proper."_

_The old woman mouth twitched, "Tis not for me to do anything Revan, this is your time."_

"_What do to want of me," Revan queried._

"_You are still a padawan," the old Jedi Master started, "Even an extraordinary padawan such of yourself cannot challenge the council, however," she paused, "a knight can. In two weeks time you will undergo your trails and you will pass them. What you do then on is up to you." _

_Kreia turned and made to leave but before exciting the room she paused and without turning around spoke, "Remember my earliest lessons Revan. Anger is a tool like any other like the Force itself. Though anger is a two-edged sword you can use it to fuel your power but it is a living thing master it do not let it master you. If it does then you are useless to me and to the galaxy at large."_

_Revan knew here master was right and set about making her own plans._

_XXX_

"Rachel wake up," came the voice of her lover, "wake up."

Rachel's eyes snapped open as she reached for her sabers before relaxing, "What's it's," she said groggily waking up.

"Sun's down, time to go," Carth said.

Rachel eyed Carth annoyed, "You were supposed to wake me up to relieve you."

"Whoops," Carth lied unconvincingly, "Now time to get up."

Rachel slowly got out of the speeder stretching her muscles. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes she threw back the tarp covering the back of the speeder revealing a large grey crate. Calling HK, Bastila and Juhani over to them she pried off the top revealing a single projectile rifle, two small compact sub-machine guns with a suppressor attachment and several pounds of explosives.

She took out the rifle and handed it to HK-47, "Pleased observation: Czerka manufactured seven-point-seven-six millimeter projectile sniper rifle… ten round detachable box magazine with attachable suppressor… very nice," the droid his eyes glowing as he looked over the rifle.

Next she took one of the SMGs and handed it to Carth who looked over the unfamiliar weapon, "Slug-throwers," he asked using the slang name for projectile weaponry, "Why these?"

Taking the last SMG for herself she cleared the breach then looked down the sights, "You can silence slug-throwers, you can't silence blasters. We need to be quick and quite." Commando team had often used slug-throwers on their ops for that reason.

"Alright here's the plan Bastila and I," she true a glance at the still smarting young Jedi, "is team one. Our job will be to find the prisoners and free them, Cart-"

"Wait a second," Carth interrupted, "flaw in the plan. How will you two find the prisoners, we have no idea where they are," he finished looked incredibly pleased with himself for picking up on that fact.

Rachel and Bastila looked at each other and it was Bastila who said, "We're Jedi.'

"Yeah," he said not following.

"They'll be the once that don't feel like the others in the Force," Rachel jumped in explaining.

"Oh yeah," Carth said sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, "Sorry."

"So with no further interruptions," Rachel started again, "Carth and Juhani will take the explosives to the opposite end of the camp and plant them, then after Bastila and I find the prisoners we'll set off the charges to cover are escape." HK's job," she said pointing towards the assassin droid, "is to provide fire support if this shit hits the fan. Remember keep your comlinks on one tap to tell you want to talk and too back to give the all clear, roger that?"

One by one the nodded their heads and grabbed there equipment. Once they were ready the assembled at the top of the hill, "Good look," she told Carth and Juhani before placing a kiss on Carth's lips. Carth responded by grabbing the sides of her head and pulling her to him and deepened the kiss.

"Ahem," Bastila said hands on her hips, she still didn't approve of their relationship.

Juhani who by this point was blushing could be seen even underneath her fur said, "May the Force be with you."

Looking at Bastila, Rachel said, "Alright lets go," and she jumped off the crest of the dune, sliding down on her back till she reached the bottom. Bastila and the others was more reluctant and carefully made their way down the hill.

The camp was surrounded by a wall of animal hide and scarps of metal, Rachel was the first to the wall and using the Force to make sure no one was within sight or hearing difference she ignited her saber and cut a hole in the wall.

Reaching out with the Force she found the only different sentient life was at the south end of the camp. Turn quickly to Carth and Juhani she whispered, "You two go north."

Carth gave a quick thumps up.

Rachel raised her SMG and entered the breach and Bastila quickly followed. The pair moved like wraiths through the camp, stooping several times when the detected life to let the Tuskens pass them unnoticed, A few times even called for the use of the Force to turn their interest away from the pair.

After several tense minutes they arrived at the location of the prisoners. Rachel quickly looked around the corner and saw three guards protecting the 'cells.' Letting Bastila know what was going on she tap her comlink once and waited for the reply. Seconds later the reply came two taps back.

"Carth you planted the charges yet," she whispered the question over the comm.

"Roger that," Carth said, "We're on our way out."

Rachel breathed deeply and exhaled for a calming effect. Hefting her SMG she rounded the corner and fired three short bursts into the raiders who quickly went down. Advancing slowly she made sure the raiders were dead.

Laying down her rifle she pulled out her knife and jimmied the crude lock on the door while Bastila did the same on the other 'cell' door. With a snap she broke the lock and swung the door open revealing a dirty beaten blue Twi'lek , "Oh thank the Force you're here," the Twi'lek said shakily getting to his feat, "I'm… I'm a high ranking executive for the Czerka Corporation. Surely you've heard of the great reward promised for my safe return?"

"You're lying Griff," Rachel whispered deadpan but before he could say another word she slapped her hand over his mouth and commanded, "Don't speak just follow."

Pulling her hand away Rachel made a 'follow me' motion and led the Twi'lek out of his makeshift prison. Looking over she saw Bastila leading the three jawas out as well. Reaching for her comlink she ordered, "Carth light it up, HK get ready to provide fire support."

"Roger," was all Carth said… and the back of the camp blew up.

"Move," Rachel shouted at her companions as she started running towards the extraction point. The Tusken camp was in chaos as the explosions had caused raging fires, death and destruction. With most of the warriors heading towards the explosion it allowed the team to make it swiftly out of the camp and back up onto the hill.

Upon reaching the top of the hill Rachel turned back and scanned the slope with her SMG looking for targets finding none she sighed in relief and slung the weapon back over her shoulder.

Moments latter Carth and Juhani catapulted themselves over the bluff and landed next to Rachel and the rescued prisoners, "Were clear," Carth said huffing and puffing.

"Should work and your cardio," Rachel said tongue-in-cheek trying not to laugh. Being a Naval Captain Carth probably didn't have to do this very often.

"Shut… up," he said panting,

Rachel shook her head, "Alright mount up," and when Griff made to open his mouth Rachel glared at it him, "Shut up Griff don't say a word," she threatened and the blue Twi'lek immediately closed his mouth with a audible snap.

As she entered the landspeeder she could just hear Griff ask Bastila, "What's her problem?"

XXX

Calo Nord stepped off the ramp of his TY-296 Space runner a small sleek ship dagger like ship manufactured by the Kuat Drive Yards. It was a small ship capable of carrying two to three men comfortably but it made up for its lack of space in speed and armaments; boasting two military grade lasercannons on the bow and a under-slung proton torpedo launcher.

After issuing a large bribe to the port authority to make sure his arrival 'stayed off the books,' the galaxy most feared bounty hunter head towards Chorca's Den; a seedy bar known to be a rest stop for some of the galaxies worst cutthroats, murderers, mercenaries, assassins and bounty hunters as well as the local scum.

Resting his hands on the butt of his handguns Nord entered the Tavern. The moment he did all the conversation in the bar stopped as everyone trained their eyes on the newcomer before losing interest and returning to their drinks and disreputable company. One man in the crowd, however let out a surprised gasp, "Hot damn that's Calo Nord."

Suddenly the crowd became far more interested in the new arrival, one man a wanted criminal with a sizeable bounty on his head pulled his handgun but before the barrel could clear its holster Calo had shot him dead through the heart.

"Easy now," the bounty hunter said pointing his pistols in the direction of but not quite at the crowd, "I not here for any of you. In fact," he continued twirling his pistols in a lavish fashion before returning them to his holsters, "I have a job for all of you… and the pay is extravagant."

_**The Dark Lord's Black Hand**_ _written by an unknown author serving in the Senate Intelligence_ _service_

_Throughout the Jedi Civil War there was never an organization less understood then the shadowy Dark Lord's Black Hand henceforth referred to as simply the Black Hand. It is not known the exact date when the Black Hand was founded but it was suspected to have been formed of surrendered Mandalorian soldiers who swore fealty to Dark Lord Revan._

_Revan commanded a great deal of loyalty from the line forces of the Sith Empire, but the ferocious loyalty the Black Hand gave to her was never quite understood by Republic Intelligence of the time. _

_It wasn't until nearly a hundred-fifty years after the end of the war did the reason for the Black Hand's loyalty become clear. Their loyalty was a result of Mandalorian tradition and the fact that Revan herself was born a Mandalorian. When Revan challenged Mandalore at the Battle of Malachor she wasn't simply trying to kill the leader of the enemy forces she was challenging Mandalore's ability to lead them. _

_When she slew Mandalore the Ultimate she took his mask for herself. At the time it was believed that the mask was a trophy of war, but no one in the Republic understood what the mask truly was. When she placed the Mask upon her face she was declaring herself Mandalore and considering the skill with which she had waged war against them they were only too glad to serve her. _

_Through the entirety of the war the Black Hand was commanded by a man named Jaster Skirta. Little is known about the man personally except that he served as a high ranking officer in the Mandalorian Supercommando's and was believed responsible for the bombing of the Senate Hall in the closing days of the Mandalorian Wars. _

_General Jaster Skirta like the Black Hand itself was an enigma. During the Jedi Civil War the general would command the Black Hand in Revan's name and was constantly at odds with Darth Malak. His loyalty to Revan is a matter of open debate even among scholars today. Some have suggested that it was the simple loyalty of a Mando'a to Mand'alor, but others have disagreed. Recent theories have suggested that Revan and her General were in fact lovers, but such theories disregard the fact that is was common knowledge even among the rank and file that before his betrayal Revan and Malak had shared a bed. Perhaps the Mandalorians themselves know the true reason but it is unlikely the warrior race would ever divulge such information. _

_Organizationally the Black Hand was split into two main groups: Covert Operations/ Intelligence Gathering and its Combat Legions. Blank Hand Covert Operations were responsible for some of the most surgical attacks against the Jedi Order and the Republic of the war. _

_Darth Revan had personally assisted in the training of a cadre specialized assassins to hunt, kill or capture Jedi. These assassins were reportedly responsible for the deaths or disappearance of nearly a fourth of the Jedi Order; a remarkable achievement. Sith Covert Operations teams formed with training that combined the elements from Republic Commandos and Mandalorian Supercommandos making them a truly dangerous force to be reckoned with._

_Black Hand Legions would fight in nearly ever major battle in the war and would contribute nearly a hundred divisions' worth of soldiers to the Sith War effort. (Considering the Sith Army contained over ten thousand Divisions it wasn't an enormous force but still sizable.) The Legions would develop a well deserved reputation for ferocity, brutality and a near suicidal bravery. They served as shock troops and fire brigades for the regular army taking the most difficult assignments._

_The Black Hand was also reported to have a small fleet of Capital Ships but the intelligence units at the time could never confirm that._


	8. Chapter 7: Tatooine and the Dragon

**Chapter 7 Tatooine and the Dragon**

Rachel was angry; no she was beyond angry she was pissed. In spite of the fact that she now had the coordinates of the Star Map and was one step closer to completing her mission she was still pissed. Leaning up against the wall she could hear Mission and her brother's conversation… that bastard had not only admitted to leaving her alone on Taris but know he had the gall to hit her up for credits.

Rachel tensed when she heard the sound of a slap landing. If Griff had hit her… she felt anger flare in her as she made her way to break Griff's neck but stopped when Griff exited the room cradling his cheek.

Rubbing at the handprint on his cheek he turned to Rachel and asked, "Hey… um thanks for the rescue but uh… I don't have a credit to my name and could you lend me a few credits… just a hundred or so."

Rachel simply glared at him before suddenly slugging him in the stomach causing him keel over as the air was forced from his lungs, "HK," she shouted and several seconds later the copper plated, demonic droid came clanking as it moved.

"Interrogative Statement: Master?"

Pointed towards the blue Twi'lek squirming on the floor in pain she ordered, "Get this little creep off my ship and if he ever tries to get back on …," she paused for effect looking down at Griff, "break his kneecaps."

As expected Griff looked up at Rachel in fear and then he became more fearful as HK-47 reached down grabbing him by his jacket and hoisted him in the air, "Joyful Response: Yes Master… ohh I do hope he tries," the droid said in a gleeful tone, his eyes glowing demonically.

Rachel watched as her droid effortlessly hauled the Twi'lek kicking and screaming through the halls and out of the ship. She felt a twinge of guilt Mission wouldn't like what she did but Griff had rubbed her the wrong way.

Slowly Rachel entered Mission's quarters, "Mission can I come in," she asked gently.

Mission looked up her eyes red with tears, "Yah, come on in."

Rachel made her way over to Mission and sat down next to her on the bed. Reaching out she wrapped her arm around the young girl bringing her in close and hugging her, "Sorry about your brother Mission."

Mission sniffed as she rested her head on crook of Rachel's shoulder, "I just expected… I don't know what I expected…. Just not that," she finished exasperated.

"I'm sorry Mission," Rachel said pulling her closer, "I know you're upset and your reunion with your bother didn't turn the way you wanted." Rachel paused she knew from personal experience that the best way to get over something or someone was to throw yourself into your work, "Come-on Mission we have a mission to finished," she said managing not to laugh.

That got Mission to laugh and left Rachel with the feeling she had accomplished something, "Back to the mission Mission," she snorted, "that's good one I'll have to remember that one."

XXX

The assassin slipped like a shadow through the crowd tracking his prey, the infamous bounty hunter Calo Nord. He had trailed the hunter all over town watching as he gathered a small army of mercenary and cutthroats. He didn't know what the bounty hunter wanted such and amateurish force for but then again he didn't care.

As Nord turned down into an alley the assassins felt his time had come. Drawing his assassin pistol he gave as quick covert glance around before ducking into the alleyway. He did so just time to Nord turn down another alley. Following then man around the bend he readied himself to fire.

The small looking weapon was in fact one of the one of the most deadly in existence. The Xeron widower was a weapon few had ever heard of and fewer had seen. He rounded the corner… and found Calo Nord gun raised waiting for him.

"Sorry mate," he the short armored man said with a smirk… then is finger twitched, the shot fired echoing throughout the alleyway and it was the last the assassin ever saw.

XXX

Colo Nord the most fearsome and feared bounty hunter in the galaxy stood there his gun smoking from when he had fired it. His shot had hit the assassin right in the head sending blood, pieces of flesh and bone flying. Comically the body stayed up right for several seconds before dropping to its knees then collapsing to the ground.

Holstering his weapon he made his way over to the now headless body. Using the toe of his boot he flipped the body over on its back. Calo frowned when he say the pistol in the dead man's hand. Prying the weapon out he picked it up and turned it over in his hands. It was exceptionally well made he realized as he aimed hit at the wall and pulled the trigger… nothing happened.

Nothing except a small whine issued for from inside the pistol which he then promptly through away and with good merit for a tiny explosion seconds latter destroyed the weapon.

That got the bounty hunter interested. They were many people he knew of that wanted him dead but few would go to such lengths as to have a gun with a bio-lock on it that would explode if fired by the wrong person. Deciding this merited investigation Nord knelt down and inspected the corpse pulling off and revealing the armor beneath.

At first glance the armor seemed like a piece of junk a cheap knock of Calon Armory work, however Calo Nord just didn't take one glance. On closer inspection however the armor was revealed to be of a very high quality that had been made to look bad. He fished through the dead man's pockets finding nothing but a dagger and encrypted comlink.

Calo Nord began to wonder. This man was a trained assassin that was not in doubt but an assassin for whom. The Republic? He doubted that he had angered the Republic enough for them to hire an assassin. The Sith… that gave him pause. Why would Malak send an assassin after him when he was the man who hired him?

As he kicked the corpse another thought came to him. Malak was hardly the loved amongst the Sith and there were factions that chafed under his rule namely the Black Hand who had long made it known they were disenfranchised with Malak's rule.

This hunt had become far more dangerous than he had anticipated. Jedi were one variable and one he could deal with but the Black Hand was something else. Briefly he consisted cancelling this assignment but if he did that he was sure to face Malak's wrath. He be a hunted man running from backwater world to backwater world every ray of the sun feeling like a sniper's targeting laser… no he wouldn't live like that. He was Calo Nord and he had a mission to accomplish.

XXX

Rachel hated Tatooine, hated it with a passion she realized as she looked out across the desert, the endless waves of sand that went on for millions of miles in every direction.

She and her entire team were traveling at high speeds across the sand towards the location the Jawa leader had provided. She, Carth, Mission and Zaalbar were in one speeder while Bastila, Canderous and HK took the other.

"Are we there yet," Mission asked for what seemed like the millionth time.

Rachel looked over at Carth who was hunched up over the steering column, gripping it so tight his knuckles were turning white, "We get there when we get there," he muttered through gritted teeth. Rachel smirked shaking her head and for a second wondered if this was what to have a family.

"Settle down you two," she said playing peacemaker, "Mission," she said looking back over the seat, "we'll be there soon."

"Yes ma," Carth and Mission said sarcastically at the same time.

Rachel just shook her head and laughed as the landspeeder sailed across the dunes. In no time at all they reached the location the Jawa leader had provided them. Exiting the vehicles the team moved to the right side of a cavernous entrance.

"Shavit," Rachel swore vehemently as she saw into cave and more importantly its occupant.

"Damitt," Carth cursed as well, "It looks like our Jawa friends left out a single minor detail," he groaned looking at Rachel.

"Any ideas," Mission quipped looking back up and down the line.

"Let's just shoot it," he said Canderous said hefting his blaster cannon and patting it on the side.

"Indignant Response: The meatbag is in error. Apart from the Master's and the Jedi Meatbag's lightsabers we have no weapons capable of penetration a Krayt Dragons armored hide. Perhaps your head might be hard enough to crack it though," the copper droid finished sarcastically.

"You're awfully mouthy for a toaster," Canderous growled.

"Enough you two enough," Rachel ordered. When the pair finally calmed down she focused on the droid, "HK do we anything else that will hurt that overgrown monkey lizard."

"Apologetic Statement: No Master not even the laser cannons mounted on the _Ebon Hawk_ are powerful enough. We need something off a frigate at least."

Rachel cursed against as her mind went into overdrive as she thought up a plan. Suddenly it hit her and she felt the corners of her tug up in a smile.

"Oh boy… I don't like that look… not one bit," Carth said nervously looking at Rachel.

XXX

"This isn't going to work," Carth grumbled under his breath.

"You got a better idea," Rachel said sarcastically.

Carth paused a moment before admitting dejectedly, "No."

"Then we do it my way," she paid almost playfully before becoming series again, "Everyone ready!"

One by one all her team shouted back or nodded that they were geared up to go. HK had mined the area in front of the cave with enough explosives to send the Krayt Dragon into orbit… or so she hoped. Now they just had to draw it out. Why the droid had brought that kind of ordnance she didn't know but she was glad the psycho droid did.

Flashing her droid a signal it eared back and threw a single fragmentation grenade into the cave. The grenade bounced and rolled for what seemed like an entirety before detonating.

Outside Rachel winced visible as the dragon let out a terrifying roar shaking the cave and the sand dunes. Twirling the detonator in her hand; a gesture to calm her nerves she waited though she didn't have to wait long.

As expected the great dragon emerged from it cave its eyes glowing red as if from the pits of hell itself. Letting out another shriek that set a shiver down her spine the three story long dragon sighted the source of its disturbance and rumbled towards it.

With her thumb she pooped off the safety covering the detonator and let her thumb hover over the button, "Come on you bastard," she said quietly, "A little closer… there," she pressed the button. Nearly a hundred pounds of high explosives, why the droid carried that much she had no idea, detonated beneath Krayt Dragon sending an enormous amount of debris into the air.

Popping her head up Mission and in her typically cheerful demeanor, "Did we get him," asked. As if to answer he question it began to rain not water but pieces of the Krayt Dragon.

Mission let out a long, "Ewwww,' while Bastila said at the same time, "Oh bloody disgusting," as the bit and pieces began to rain down.

"Alright lets go get what we came for," Rachel commanded, "Canderous, Carth go get the speeders ready to go. I want to get off this Force forsaken planet as soon as possible."

Canderous grunted out a 'yes' and Carth simply said, "Don't be long."

The moment Rachel entered the dragon's lair she was assaulted with stench of rotting flesh and Dragon waste. The cave was vast, vast enough for the dragon to easily maneuver, littered with partially consumed corpses and skeletons of numerous species… sentient or otherwise.

Reaching out with the Force she located the Star Map flanked by two strange statues effortlessly sitting in the back of the cavern untouched the area around it clean. It was if the dragon was drawn to it and yet fearful of it at the same time.

As Rachel approached she felt the swirling waves of black power that she had previously felt from the Dantooine Star Map. Reaching out she ran her hand over the top of the pedestal where the three 'petals' came together pulling back when they began to separate.

The Star Map split revealing its precious and carefully guarded secret. Rachel took the down the information on her datapad. As she finished up she noticed Bastila gazing intently at the strange statue.

The creature made of stone was a strange looking one Rachel had to admit, one she hadn't seen before and that was saying something as she had seen many of the galaxies inhabitants. Did the fact that they were here mean they were the Star Forge's creators, Rachel wondered.

The alien was humanoid with two arms and legs though with only three clawed toes and fingers. Its head was elongated with two eye stalks protruding from both sides and perpendicular to its head.

"Bastila," Rachel asked still looking at the statue an ominous feeling growing in her chest, "You ever seen a species like this before?"

"No," she answered reaching up and running her had across the statues face, "never."

"Zaalbar, Mission, HK," Rachel called out looking back at her companions.

Zaalbar roared a negative. HK paused accessing his databanks before responding, "Negative: No records of a species matching this description exists in my databank. Theory: Probability then suggests that the goggled eyed freaks are extinct. Also it is possible that they are the creators of the weapon we seek."

Rachel nodded, "I've considered that," she paused taking one last look, "Alright were finished her lets pull…," she started but noticed Mission crouching down next to a half eaten corpse and was holding something in her hands, "Mission what'd you find."

Mission didn't answer right away, brushing the dust of the object before examining it closer, "It looks like a journal. I wonder if…," she trailed off as she fiddled around with the device, "got it,' she finally exclaimed as miniature hologram popped to life standing on top of the journal.

"_Journal entry number_,' the hologram started, "_blast… uhm number two hundred and forty three_."

Rachel watched the hologram with only mild interest that is until she felt a massive shock in the Force coming from Bastila. Turning Rachel was stunned to see tears flowing down the young Jedi's face as she rushed over to Mission snatching the journal way from her, ignoring the Twi'leks shout of protest.

Rachel was taken aback by the level of emotion the normally stoic Jedi showed. That was until she remembered her conversation with Carth in the cantina. Her suspicion was confirmed when the hologram continued on.

"_This is Matele Shan and we been hunting this dragon for nearly a week now with no success so far. Kerik says that…" _Bastila's father, Rachel realized. They had found him… or what was left of him.

"Father," Bastila said weeping as she hugged the journal to her chest.

Slowly Rachel came up behind her and pressed the pause button on the holo-journal, "Come on lets get out of here," she said guiding the young Jedi out of the cave, "you can take all the time you need when we get back to the Hawk."

Bastila nodded.

XXX

Resting at the top of a canyon wall looking down into gully Calo Nord waited starring through his macro-binoculars. Looking up he saw a cloud of dust speeding toward them, "Is everything set," the bounty hunter asked.

Behind him a Trandoshan mercenary growled and hissed, "Yessss all isssss ready."

"If you're wrong," Nord said coldly not lookling up from his binoculars, "this could all end very badly for us. A Jedi, a Wookiee and a pair of Mandalorians is nothing to underestimate."

"What will you do with the otherssss," the reptile questioned, "Assssssuming they are ssstill alive that issss," he finished with a hissing chuckle.

"If the Jedi survives I want her alive she's worth a King's ransom, if not she's still worth quite a bit," Calo paused considering. Malak hadn't said anything about Bastila's companion, "If," and he stressed the if, "if anyone else survives you can have them," Nord chuckled, "I'm sure the Hutts will pay handsome price for the Twi'lek."

"Though," he added looking the reptile right in the eye, "Canderous is mine,'' he said darkly, "We've got an old score to settle me and him. Now get the men ready."

The Trandoshan nodded and growled in acknowledgement. Calo Nord felt a small cold smile touch his lips as he look back down seeing the Jedi headed right into his trap.

XXX

Rachel was on edge and the worst part is that she couldn't figure out why. Her senses began to flare and the since of urgency was only increasing as they neared the canyon.

Mission, Zaalbar and Carth were chatting about something but Rachel couldn't let that distract her. Closing her eyes she drew on the Force sending feelers out into the environment searching… searching.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open, "Get Down," she shouted while simultaneously using the Force to push the occupants of the speeder down.

Her timing was perfect for a split second later a millimeter thick wire made of Mandalorian Iron that had been strung across the canyon sheared off the top of the cabin just missing taking off Zaalbar's head.

The speeder served hard to the right out of control before flipping over and tumble through the cannon. Trying to ignore the growing feelings of panic and terror Rachel tried to summon the Force to slow their little wild ride but found she couldn't concentrate.

The last thing that went through her mind before she lost consciousness was that she was glad for once she decided to wear her safety harness.

XXX

A cold grin played out over Calo Nord's face as he looked down into the gully. He watched the first speeder hit the enormous garrote wire and tumble out of control digging a gorge in the canyon floor before finally coming to a rest.

The second speeder fared better. The pilot was a damn good one. When he saw what happened to the first speeder he turned hard to the right and ramped the repulsors over the red to counteract the vehicle's forward momentum. The vehicle stayed strait up however it did slam nose first into the canyon wall.

"Youssss think any are ssstill alive," the Trandoshan his arms crossed and his talons rapping on his scales, "Thatsss wasss one hell of a crasssh."

"You'd be surprised what you can live through," he said dryly looking back at the lizard remembering his first encounter with this group, "a building fell on me. Now," he said command creeping into his voice, "get your asses down their… now."

As the mercenaries left Calo Nord stood up and checked his blaster pistols one last time. It was a small habit that had saved his life before. Once satisfied he started after the thugs down the canyon.

XXX

_The Republic was at war. The Republic had been at war for more than six months now with the fearsome and savage Mandalorian Clans. So far the war had not gone well with the Republic suffering defeat after defeat. The Outer Rim had been abandoned entirely; the Mid Rim was on the brink of disaster; the Republic Fleet and Army was demoralized and in headlong retreat. The Jedi did nothing._

_Revan stood before the High Council of the Jedi but this time not as padawan but as a Jedi Knight. Ever since her elevation nearly eight months ago she had been petitioning the Council to act in face of the Mandalorian aggression in the Outer Rim._

_Once the War came to the Republic itself she had been one of the most vocal voices for the Jedi to intervene and hers was a voice that had rapidly growing support._

_She was back in the High Council Chambers, standing before some of the most powerful beings in the Galaxy, to plead for intervention for the Republic. Bowing she said, "Grandmaster, Masters I have come before you once more to request that this Council command the Order to assist the Republic_," _looking up into the eyes of Grand Master Sunrider she added, "Which we are already swore to do."_

"_Revan I do not know why you persist with this nonsense," came the snide, aristocratic voice of Jedi Master Atris, "This council has already decreed we will not intervene in the Republic's war." _

_Revan bit down her feelings of anger at the Echani Jedi. Then she turned her gaze to Jedi Master Martel the Order's greatest swordsman and the most sympathetic to her plea, "What of you Master Martel you are a warrior, sworn to protect and defend the helpless. How can you sit and do nothing as Mandalore slaughters them like nerfs."_

_The massive Jedi Master shifted uncomfortably unwilling to look Revan in the eye. He knew the young Jedi was correct in her beliefs but he would not challenge the authority of the High Council._

"_Enough," Grandmaster Sunrider commanded harshly, "Revan as a Knight of the Jedi Order it is duty to obey the will of this Council not to question it. Master Atris is right we have made our decision."_

_Revan exploded with anger, "How dare you abandon the Republic when its need is greatest. This Order has always stood as the Republic's guardian and ally and yet," she roared, "you sanctimonious old fools sit in this dammed tower and pretend this isn't your war-"_

_In the middle of Revan's rant Atris sat forward and made to interrupt, "Rev-" she started but was cut off as Revan unleashed the Force to throw her back in her chair._

"_I am not finished yet… Master," with disgust, "This is your war… it is the war of every living soul who wished to live free. I just pray it doesn't take Mandalore planting his flag in the Senate hall itself to make you realize that."_

_With purpose Revan reached down and pulled her sabers from her belt, "If this is what the Jedi have become…," she paused theatrically before tossing her blades and Grandmaster's feet, "then I no longer wish to be one." _

_Revan turned and stormed from the chamber leaving a stunned council in her wake. _

_During the brief turbo-lift ride Revan closed her eyes and leaned her back up against the wall resting her head in her hands, "I hoped it wouldn't have to come to this," she said softy speaking to no one. It hadn't been her intention to explode before them like that but now the die was cast._

_When the turbo-lift arrived at the base of the tower and the doors slide upon Revan took several deep calming breathes before stepping out. _

_The 'lobby' as it was called was filled with nearly a hundred Jedi, padawans and Knights, who had been waiting eagerly for word from the council. They were a small handful of likeminded Jedi who had banned together with Revan as leader to confront the council and demand it take action. _

"_Revan," a strong deep voice, that sent shiver down Revan's spine… good shivers, called, "What happened, has the Council relented," Malak asked hopefully._

_Revan looked at him, her best friend and closest confidant. He was a young man now strong in the Force, skilled with a blade and handsome with his strong chiseled him and piecing hazel eyes. Ever since she had come of age her feelings had changed towards her friend. It had blossomed into something more than friendship; something Malak had returned. A fleeting thought crossed Revan's mind that if they were no longer Jedi then perhaps something could happen. _

"_Yes Knight Revan tell us," one of the older padawans repeated. _

_Revan hung her head only for a second before her ice blue eyes hardened and she snapped her head back up, "No they refuse, but I can no longer."_

"_Revan," Malak questioned his brow furrowed has he approached her, "What do you mean."_

"_I have… renounced my Knighthood and the Order itself," she shouted loudly and proudly, "I cannot sit on my hands and do nothing. If cannot help as a Jedi, then I'll help as private citizen," she paused filling her lungs, "who will join me," she bellowed._

_Before any could answer Grandmaster Surider stormed out of the turbo-lift Masters Martel and Atris in tow, "Revan you cannot do this," she ground out through gritted teeth._

_Revan smiled cockily, "I already have."_

"_If you follow her you will be outcasts," she shouted this time to the crowd, 'you will be stripped of your rank and banished from the Order of the Jedi forever. Remember you all took oaths."_

"_Yes we did," Revan shot back defiantly, "and I seem to remember something about, 'swearing to right even when it causes you harm' and 'defend the Republic and serve the weak and the poor'." _

"_You see," Revan said to the crowd pointing an accusing finger at the Grandmaster, "She and the High Council have broken their oaths first; the Jedi have strayed from their ideals and become something… something I no longer wish to be a part of," the whole time she was talking she had made her way ever so slightly towards Malak, "therefore my oath is null and void," and with that she reached out with both hands placing her hands on either side of Malak's jaw and kissed him deeply and passionately._

_When she separated she licked her lips and said softly so only Malak could her, "Force I've wanted to do that for a long time," leaving a dumbstruck Malak behind her. Turning back to the crowd, "I ask once more who will join me!"_

"_I will," came a cry as a young man came forward his saber in his hand which he handed to the Grandmaster. He was a large man, largely than Malak and Martel with fiery red hair and beard. His name escaped Revan at the moment but she knew he was fearsome Jedi Knight, a natural leader and strong in the Force. _

"_I'll join you Revan," he paused before a smile cracked on his face, "does this mean I get a kiss too," he joked. _

"_Hey," Malak scowled as he tossed his blade at the masters' feet._

_One by one all the assembled Jedi turned in their sabers throwing in their lot with Revan._

XXX

Pain. Pain was what Rachel felt, excruciating pain. Blood pounded in her ears. Slowly blinking her eyes opened and she found the world spinning. Shell shock she realized clinically. Lazily looking over trying not to cause more pain in her head she saw Carth. The pilot laid unconscious bend over the steering console, blood dripping down his head.

Reaching out she found his pulse and breathed a sigh of relief, he was alive. Looking back she saw Mission a Zaalbar unconscious has well. Twisting around until she could reach back she felt for the pulse of Mission then Zaalbar pleased when she found it.

Slowly she pried herself out of her seat and over the side of the speeder as the door was far to damaged to ever open again. Rachel hit the ground with a loud thump letting out a groan of pain as she did.

After trying to stand up which failed spectacularly she reached up gingerly and touched her head which was bleeding profusely from the crash, "Son of a bitch," she muttered nearly delirious.

Slowly she tried again to stand her legs wobbly when a movement at the corner of her eye grew her attention. Almost a dozen mercenaries human and alien were approaching armed with a ragged assortment of blaster pistols and rifles.

Again she failed and fell forward to her knees with only the support of her arms keeping her from falling flat on her face. Suddenly a shadow fell over her. Looking up she saw a Trandoshan barking out orders and even though she couldn't hear him she saw the intent clear in his mind.

It the back of her mind Rachel she heard a subtle insidious whisper. The Dark side of the Force spoke quietly offering its power to deal with these vermin, but Rachel resisted until the lizard cast his gaze to Mission and a putrid thought flashed through its mind contain what it intended to do with the young Twi'lek.

In that instant Rachel gave it to the voice and accepted its power. The icy black power of darkness poured into Rachel like the flood after a spillway collapsed. Rachel could feel the pain of her injuries fade away; her tired muscles restored and felt a red haze of rage and hate fell upon her.

She exploded into action with such speed and ferocity that took everyone by surprise.

XXX

Calo Nord along with two more mercenaries were approaching the crash site. He smirked this was going to easier than he anticipated. He opened his mouth to order Vosk the Trandoshan to secure the Mandalorian woman then secure Bastila but was interrupted when she did something he thought was impossible. She leaped at the lizard knocking him to the ground and punched with such a voice that her fist went clear through the lizard's skull.

The startled mercs stared for several seconds in disbelief before the first one even raised their weapon. Nord starred in a since of growing horror as he watched the woman turn into death itself.

She moved quicker than anyone had a right to ripping off the head of the closest merc before he even had a chance to react. The man fell blood squirting from his headless torso as it collapsed wordlessly to the ground.

By this time the mercs at regained their senses hoisting their weapons and opening up in a blind panic fire… with every single shot either flying wide of its intended or was effortlessly dodged.

Five men, two humans, two Rodian, and a Duros dropped their blasters and drew vibro swords and charged

The Mandalorian who had slaughtered several more mercs by now turned drenched in blood to face the five more joining the fight. She raised her hand and lightening leapt from her fingertips arcing towards those mercs and frying them from the inside out. They collapsed to the ground blackened, smoke rising up from the charred corpses.

"What are you waiting for…Go," Nord screamed at the two men next to him. They looked blankly at each other before throwing their weapons to the ground and taking off in the opposite direction, strait into the desert.

"Cowards," Nord grumbled and shot both fleeing men in the back. As the Mandalorian Jedi or Sith, something he couldn't believe existed, continued to cut a bloody swath thrown his men, Nord realizing this fit wouldn't be won through brute force activated his stealth field.

Malak was definitely paying extra for this.

XXX

Rachel or more correctly Rachel's body surrendered to Darkness had just finished ripping the still beating heart out of the last merc when a scream or at least one she recognized echoed through the air. Mission, the thought jolted like lighting through her system giving her some semblance of control back. Spinning she saw the blue Twi'lek, blood dripping from several cuts on her head and arms, screaming starring right at her in horror as if she had seen a demon from the deepest pit of hell.

Rachel felt the darkness fade away from her body like water in the dune sea. Dropping the heart as if it was on fire Rachel looked at her blood soaked hands and blood soaked armor. She felt bile gather in the back of her throat as she tasted blood in her mouth and she knew it was not her own. Feeling sick she looked around at the mutilated and shredded bodies around her which appeared that some terrible beast had had their way with them. While she was no stranger to killing she had never done anything like this before.

The whine of a stealth field generator de-cloaking sounded from behind her along with the metallic click of a blaster's safety being flicked off. Slowly turning she saw the bounty hunter Calo Nord starring at her the tip of his pistol inched from her head and an unreadable look on his face.

Afraid to call the Force to her and too weary to fight she simply closed her eyes and waited.

A shot rang out.

A body hit the ground.

Rachel opened her eyes.

Calo Nord lay dead at her feat a growing pool of blood pooling beneath him only to be sucked up by the desert sand. She followed the direction of the sound of the shot to the second speeder, where Canderous sat his face bloodied and bruised, a jagged piece of shrapnel lodged in his right arm rendering it useless. In his left he held a smoking blaster, "I've waited a long time to kill that short bastard,'' he said letting the pistol fall from his hand and drifting into unconsciousness.

Rachel looked at Canderous, the bodies, Mission and then her own blood soaked body… and heaved the contents of her stomach all over the desert floor, again and again and again.

XXX

Carth sat in the cockpit of the _Ebon Hawk_. He had just entered in the coordinates for Mannan their next stop on their quest. He other than the droid whose body parts were made to come apart rather than break had suffered the least injuries, just a few bruises and cuts. All of which were easily healed with Kolto.

"Carth," Juhani purred in her strange accent. It had been Juhani and the astro-droid who had realized something was wrong and flew in on the Hawk to save the day, "I'm worried about Rachel she's locked herself in the 'fresher' and hasn't come out."

"What makes you think I can help," Carth asked quizzically.

Juhani put her hands on her hips and gave him the look that only women could master, "I'm not stupid Carth. I know how close two are. I mat not approve but I'd be a fool if I didn't realize she cared for you."

Rubbing his hand downward across his face, "Right yeah I'll go."

Juhani nodded pleased, 'I'll watch the cockpit… go," she added with a tilt of her head.

Carth pried himself out of the chair and left the cockpit deciding to stop at the med-bay. Popping in he asked the only conscious thing in the room, "HK how are they doing."

The copper colored droid turned revealing the front of chassis was covered in dried blood. Ironically it turned out that the droid was the best doctor they had on the ship. Which as Carth thought about it make some sense because for the droid to be such an efficient killer it'd have to have detailed knowledge of anatomy.

"Disappointed answer: I have stabilized the Mandalorian meatbag after several operations and he is recovering in a Kolto tank. The meatbag Bastila's broken arm has been set and a kolto bandage applied. The blue meatbag has been sedated and is resting comfortably in her quarters and is being watched by the furry meatbag."

Carth processed this, matching names with HK colorful descriptions then something struck him, "Disappointed Answer?"

"Depressing Remark: Oh yes the Mistress's consort must realize that as an assassin droid healing goes against by very nature; but alas I must obey my Mistress and she as ordered me to obey you," the droid said with an artificial sigh.

"Consort," Carth said bewildered then holding up his hands, "wait I don't want to know," and fled the room as fast as he could.

Eventually he came to the 'fresher' door. He paused before rapping his knuckles on the door calling out, "Rachel," no answer came so he called again, "Rachel listen I'm coming in."

He tried the door but it was locked just as Juhani said. Bending down he began to fiddle with the door's lock and with the skill that came from a misspent youth he managed to jimmy the lock open, "Rachel," he called out opening the door causing steam to billow out.

Suddenly a burst of fear came over him as he approached the active shower. She wouldn't have tried to hurt herself… would she? Throwing back the curtain he sighed with relief as he saw she wasn't hurt. As quickly as his brief burst of happiness was it faded quickly as he noticed something was right.

Rachel sat naked in the still active shower, her knees pulled up to her chest as she cuddled in the corner. Her skin was still raw from scrubbing her realized as he saw a sponge lying next to her, "It won't come off,' she said in such a small voice that at first Carth couldn't believe that such a pitiful sound had come from her, "the blood.. it won't come off."

She made to grab the sponge again but Carth grabbed her hand and sat down next to her still fully clothed as the shower soaked him. To his surprise she buried her head into his shoulder and began to cry. Carth wrapped his arms around her and whispered, "Its all right," he repeated over and over again into her hair.

After several minutes she finally stopped and wiped at her tears through it would do not good under a cascade of water. Then she took the right side of his face in her right hand and kissed him, soft and gentle. One thing led to another, in movements he and Rachel had divested him of his clothing and they were making love in the refresher under the artificial rain.

As they coupled the small part of Carth that wasn't fully engrossed in Rachel's flesh realized that while they had 'fracked' before this was the first time they had ever made sweet and gentle love. It made him hope that perhaps that he and Rachel had a future together and that made him truly happy.

XXX

Rachel woke early the next morning in her bed her limbs tangled with Carth's and she smiled. She remembered last night the significance of their loving act. However her acts in the canyon came flooding back to her crushing her good morning. She felt the stirrings of the Force as well but immediately cut it off to afraid to touch what she had touched on the in the canyon.

Slipping out of their bed she slipped into a part of shorts and a tank top that she could wear on the ship. Her goal was to find something to occupy her time. She went to Bastila and chatted with the young Jedi who was still morning the loss of her father. She talked to Juhani and T-3 thanking them for their timely rescue. She spent time with Zaalbar asking about Mission who she was to ashamed to speak to personally remembering the fear in the young girl's eyes.

Rachel found herself walking down the hallway when she saw Canderous. He thanks to his healing implants had gotten out of the Kolto tank after only a few hours immersion.

Rachel opened her mouth to greet him when struck out with a powerful right uppercut catching her across the face. Caught by complete she spun from the force of the blow to her left, falling on her hands and knees. Old instincts took over and she threw herself at Canderous her shoulder catching his midsection, her momentum pushing the both into the wall.

Canderous winded but far from beaten lifted his arms over his head interlocking his fingers and then bring them down hard into Rachel's back. Grunting in pain she fell flat to the floor. Quickly rolling her back she struck up with her right leg her foot catching him square in the face.

Canderous staggered forward away from the wall clutching his face as blood seeped through his fingers.

Coming to her feet clutching struck out against with her leg this time tripping him and sending him crashing to the floor. Without hesitation she leapt on him pressing her right forearm to his throat and placing the palm of her left hand against the same forearm for added strength.

"What the hell was that for," she gritted out eyes aflame.

Canderous glared his eyes hard, "To put the fight back in you."

"What."

Canderous scoffed trough a bloodied face, "All day you've been sulking around defeated and demoralized. You'd lost that fire in your eyes and have been pulling away from the Force out of fear of all things," he roared the last part, "You're a Mandalorian for frack's sake… act like one."

"What I did," she started unsure of what to say.

"We all make mistakes," he continued in a softer in volume but still hard tone, "learn from them. Become a better warrior for it, don't neuter yourself," he paused deadly serious, 'I'd hate to have to put you down for being useless."

Rachel knew he wasn't joking. In a civilization and culture built upon strength weakness must be purged and if you have to kill a fellow Mandalorian to do so then so be it.

Rachel released him and they both stood up, "My mistake isn't using the Force but letting it control me," she said more for herself then Canderous. She caught his eyes and the fire was back in hers, "Never again will allow the Force the light or the darkness to control me. I'm going to make it serve me not the other way around."

"Good."

"What the hell is going on I hear shouting,' Carth said shouting himself as he entered the hallway blaster drawn. The moment he saw Rachel's bruises he pointed the gun towards Canderous, "Step away from her," he growled.

Holding her hands up to calm him down she said, "Don't worry Canderous is just helping… me… with… a… problem," she frowned as she said the last part as she looked at what Carth was wearing and pointed at it questioningly.

Carth looked down and blushed with Canderous looked at Rachel with a longsuffering look on his face, "Your man is wearing boxers with gizka on them."

XXX

"They've just left Tatooine," Reinhardt said entering the Commanding General of the Black Hand's office, "apparently they recovered the information they sought," he said then looking down at his datapad, "I do have good news by the way Calo Nord is dead."

Jaster swiveled around in his chair to face his Intelligence Chief, "She killed him," not a question. Reinhardt nodded. "Good," Jaster said smiling he'd always hated the little runt.

"What you next plan sir," the Intel officer asked.

Jaster leaned back in his chair, "We wait. Thanks to our inside man we know where she is going and we already know where she as to go," he reasoned, "we'll wait till the time is right before we reveal ourselves, but until then we must make the empire ready for her return."

Leaning forward her propped his elbows up on his desk and rested his head on his knuckles, "I want to begin feeling for supporters in the line military. When she comes back I don't want to have to wait to take on Malak directly," he paused before adding, "I trust I don't have to tell you to be discreet?"

"I think I've been insulted," Reinhardt said mildly raising his eyebrow.

'Let's hope," he added, "she's as capable as we remember."

XXX

_Excerpt from __**The Dark Side of the Force; History**__ author unknown, found in the late Emperor Palpatine's private quarter on Byss_

_The dark side was an aspect of the Force, a metaphysical power that bound the galaxy together. The first known users of the dark side were the ancient Rakatans, a species of alien that conquered a large portion of the galaxy around 49,000 BBY. These aliens were able to harness the dark side to create engineering feats unheard of in their time, such as hyperdrive and the Star Forge. However, the Rakatan Infinite Empire eventually collapsed and the Rakatans lost their connection to the Force. _

_In 25,053 BBY, long after the fall of the Infinite Empire, the galaxy was building a new government, the First Galactic Republic. Prior to the dawn of this new era scientists, philosophers, priests, and warriors gathered on the planet Tython to discuss and investigate an anomalous energy present throughout the galaxy. The group was able to discover Ashla, what became known as the light side of the Force. Eventually however, members of the group discovered and began to advocate the use of Bogan, or what would later become known as the dark side. These two groups clashed on the planet in a century-long conflict known as the Force Wars of Tython. In the aftermath of the war, the followers of Ashla developed the Knights of the Jedi Order, while the followers of Bogan seemingly faded from history. _

_The dark side would not present a significant threat again until 24,500 BBY, in the First Great Schism of the Jedi Order. Once again however, the followers of the dark side, including Lettow General Xendor, the first known Dark Jedi, were defeated by the members of the Jedi Order. Those who followed Xendor came to be known as the Legions of Lettow, and embraced combat in place of meditation, and focused their emotions on battle rather than calm. Several members of the Jedi Order would once again take up these teachings and embrace the dark side in 7,000 BBY sparking the Second Great Schism, also known as the Hundred-Year Darkness. Although the Dark Jedi were again defeated and eventually exiled, it was this conflict that allowed for the creation of an enduring dark side organization, as the Exiles would be the predecessors to the Sith. _

_The Sith or the Dark Lords of the Sith as they would come to be know were the most infamous of all dark side religions, and the members of the cult were often seen as the pinnacle of power within the dark side. Throughout their long history, the Sith commanded several Empires and initiated many galactic wars. With such great influence, the Sith religion inspired many cults that weren't technically part of the Sith Order, nor did they consist of actual Sith. Instead, they were founded and made up of Sith devotees and other Force-sensitives dedicated to prolonging the teachings and the memory of the Sith. _


	9. Chapter 8: Manaan,Water,Water Everywhere

**Sorry if this chapter isn't as good as the previous ones. I f!&cking hated Mannan.**

**Chapter Eight: Mannan, Water, Water Everywhere**

_Revan and Malak walked on the bottom of the costal shelf each one wearing a deep water pressure suit to protect them from the crushing deep. Closing her eyes Revan reached out with the Force sensing for the star map. Finding the dark locus that gave it away she gestured to Malak, her motions over exaggerated underwater._

_They came to a large crevasse in the rock, "__**It's down here**__," Revan said through the radio, her voice laced with static. Though their suits were reinforced with layers of durasteel they still moved carefully through the canyon of razor sharp rocks. Reaching the bottom Revan shined her helmet lamp on the location her senses told her the star map was and low and behold there it was. _

"_**I wonder why it was placed here**__," Malak hissed over the Radio._

"_**Perhaps this land was once above the water**__," Revan ventured a guess, "__**Though that would have been long, long ago**__."_

_As she approached she felt another presence behind them trapped under the rocks very powerful and old. Warily she continued her approach. The star map as if sensing her spilt open along its seams releasing a great multitude of bubbles as it did._

_Revan reached out waving her hand through the map, "One step closer," she said under her breath, "one step closer."_

Rachel woke up from her dream made her way up out of bed and dressed, before finding Bastila to share her latest vision.

XXX

"I hate this place," Rachel declared loudly as she sat in a little plastic fold-out chair. They had arrived on Mannan the planet of the fish people or Selkath late last night. Rachel had decided that after everything they had gone through the crew could use a little R & R. Mission had dragged Zaalbar, Juhani and Bastila into hitting some of Ahto City's shopping centers. Canderous had muttered something about getting drunk and HK went with him to keep him out or trouble or get him into trouble whichever came first. T3 had elected to stay and affect some repairs on the Hawk.

Carth had decided he would show her the joys of fishing and now she was perched on one of the city's easternmost sections about five feet up from the water on a little ledge of durrasteel.

"You just upset 'cause you haven't caught anything," Carth said a small smile on his face as he smoothly reeled in his line and then cast it again.

Rachel merely looked out over the deep blue ocean. Mannan was the exact opposite of Tatooine, an entire world without a single piece of dry land. The only habitable place for offworlders was the large floating artificial island-city called Ahto City. Now Rachel was in pitched battle with her fishing pole which she had somehow managed to get all tangled up.

Glaring at him, "You haven't caught anything either. Besides," she added, "You do realize that anything we catch likely going to be bigger than us and oh yeah," she had with faux realization, "is going to eat us."

Carth chuckled and gestured for Rachel to give him her rod, "It's not about the fish it's about the fishing. You see," he said, "it's about relaxation and the enjoyment of nature," he paused a coy smile touching his face, "it's also about seeing you in a bathing suit."

That caused Rachel to chuckle. She was wearing a skimpy two-piece that Mission had got for her, though Rachel had decided whether it was just for her or for her for Carth.

"There," he said holding her pole back out so she could take it.

Taking her pole back she looked up and down at it wondering how he had got the tangle out so easily. Trying to relax she leaned back into the chair she drew back and let the pole fly, the hook however caught on a pipe behind her, "Dammit," she cursed jerking the hook free and throwing the entire pole into the ocean in frustration.

Carth merely laughed.

XXX

The Republic Embassy on Mannan was opulent to say the least. While on the outside four hard faced Republic marines stood guard; the inside was richly and lavishly decorated in the classical Republic style. After their fishing adventure Rachel and Carth who had now changed to their Jedi robe and Naval uniform respectively had dropped into the embassy to see if by any small chance the ambassador could help them.

"Ah Master Jedi and the famed Captain Onasi," the Ambassador a dark-skinned man with a large gut and receding hairline said with a forced smile upon his face, "I am Ambassador Roland Wann how may I be of service."

"First off," Rachel said bluntly pointing a finger at the ambassador, "Never call me 'Master Jedi' again and secondly we need to know if you have any knowledge of something call a Star Map an ancient ruin somewhere on a continental shelf, ever heard of it?"

"A Star Map," the ambassador said carefully and thoughtfully, "I'm sorry I can't recall…"

As she was listening to the Ambassador she felt the Force flare a clear sign the man was being untruthful. Rachel reached down and pulled out one of her sabers setting it on the Ambassador's desk, "Think real carefully," she said stressing the real, "before you lie to me."

Rachel hated it when people lied to her; it was a personal offence because she knew when they lied to her. It was like spitting in her face and then telling her it was raining.

The Ambassador's eyes went right to the saber, "Oh yes I remember now. However I'm afraid I can't help you not at the moment."

Carth's eyes went wide then his faced hardened as he leaned in, "Try to realize how important our mission it's been given Tapix level importance. If you don't know what that means it means that all Republic personal regardless of rank are required to assist us."

The Ambassador shifted uncomfortably, "Yes of course I will all I can do to help, however I have a more pressing concern. Two days ago a submersible probe droid was damaged by firaxan sharks. The Sith managed to recover the probe before we could get people on site. The data's encrypted but if the Sith recovered the data it would be a major embarrassment for Republic," the ambassador straighten gaining some back bone, "If you were to recover said data then I would be able to help you."

Rachel frowned in disbelief, "You're asking us to… break into the Sith Embassy," she said astounded. Never mind the fact that the embassy was heavily guarded by Sith Marines, but even the Sith respected the sovereignty and neutrality of an embassy.

Carth too was astounded by the Ambassador's gull. The man himself simply leaned into and smiled, "Exactly", he said splaying his hands before him, "You get the data and I'll give you the location of your map."

Rachel sat back wondering how much trouble she'd get in for slugging him before realizing that she didn't have much of a choice, "Deal."

XXX

Two hours latter Rachel stood in a conference room of the Republic Embassy with all her crew assembled. She had just finished detailing the assignment to her crew, after removing all the surveillance equipment of course.

"Well I assume we can't just walk up to the door and expect them to let us in. So what's the plan," Mission asked eager to do something.

"First thing we need as Mission suggested is a way in," Rachel started, "we have two," looking down at Mission Rachel said, "We need you and T3 to work with the cryptologists to crack the Sith diplomatic code."

Then looking up she found the copper colored droid at the back of the room, "HK I'll also need your help too."

"Delighted Response: What would you have me do? I do hope it involves mayhem and bloodshed," the droid said gleefully.

Rachel grimaced the droid would get his fun, "HK the embassy guards caught a spy a few days back and are holding him for interrogation. So far the interrogators haven't managed to get anything out of him. You're up I want access codes, passwords and anything else you can dig up."

"Get too it," she ordered and Mission, HK and T3 to their respective tasks. The rest of the group would serve as their strike team for retrieving the data. The briefing took several minutes as she detailed their assignments.

"All right it will probably take Mission, T3 and HK a few hours to…,' but she trailed off as HK strode through the door holding something pink and squishy looking in its left hand, a datapad in his right and covered in blood.

"Proud statement: The information you have requested is the datapad," the droid said proudly as it turned the device over.

"That was quick," Canderous muttered underneath his breath, "That's not what I think it is… is it?"

"Response: It's an appendix," the droid said if stating the obvious.

Rachel looked down at the dadapad then back up at the droid, "You have an appendix. Why do you have an appendix," she blinked in confusion.

"Smug Response; The Master order me to procure information. I determined the most efficient means to extraction was to threaten to remove the prisoner's organs one at a time staring with the least import until I get to the most important. Sadly he thought I was buffing."

"By the Force," Bastila muttered looking psychically ill.

"Rachel," Juhani shouted accusingly.

Rachel shrugged apologetically, "I didn't think he'd do that," he said pointing to the organ, "Next time I'll be more specific in my order," she finished massaging the bridge of her nose.

"Confused response: Master you did say 'dig up.'"

"I'll go check on Mission."

XXX

Nearly an hour later Rachel wished she hadn't. She been listening Mission prat on about stuff way, way over her level of understanding and was about ready to shoot herself in the head.

"Sooooo," she drew out, "You've cracked their codes," hoping that's what Mission had been saying.

Mission tilted her head thinking for a second, "Yeah that's about it; though we should use them quick I don't know when the codes will change."

"Good," Rachel said trying to work some feeling back into her legs, "Ok this is what I want you to do," she laid out, "I need you to create message that a transport will be arriving carrying a team of Intelligence operators and they need to clear the hanger. You know all hush, hush and everything. Tell them you need the hanger completely clean. No eyes on."

Mission nodded and began typing, "I'll have to send it through half a dozen com relays before sending it through a system that looks like it's coming from Ziost. It'll take about an hour."

"Good that'll give us time to get in position," Rachel said patting Mission on the shoulder.

"Oh," Mission said suddenly pulling something out of her pocket and handing it to Rachel.

Rachel took it and looked it over. It was a small tube with a universal computer jack at one end, "All right I give up what is it."

"It's called a computer spike… I modified it of course. If you can get it plugged into one of the security consoles inside the embassy I can use to hijack their systems and remotely login from here," she smiled mischievously.

Rachel leaned over and gave her an affectionate kiss on the forehead, "Your amazing Mission."

The Twi'lek girl blushed, "Ahh well… T3 helped."

"Well I'm not kissing him."

XXX

In his private medical ward onboard the _Leviathan _Dark Malak impatiently waited as the medical droid cleaned the grievous wound on his face. The wound had occurred near the end of the Mandalorian War; a lucky blow from a vibro sword had savagely cleaved off his lower jaw. Periodically the necrotic flesh and to be scrapped away and a fine layer of kolto applied before the prosthesis could be reattached.

Malak burned with rage as he thought of the aftermath of that battle. He remembered the feelings of hopeless and loss at the thought of never being able to eat solid food again or even talk in his own voice, but most of all he dreaded the thought of never again kissing Revan."

A loud chime issued from the door barking the Sith Lord out of his moment of self pity, "Enter," he called without turning, the vocorder at the back blinking as it synthesized his words or rather his thoughts.

Through the Force he felt the familiar presence of Admiral Saul Karath. This had better be good, Malak thought darkly as it was his standing order than no one was to interrupt him during this process, "Admiral," he growled warningly.

Karath fell to his knees as he came before the Sith Lord, "Milord I must apologized for the intrusion, but you did state that you wanted any reports from Calo Nord brought to your attention immediately," the Admiral said quickly unable to keep the slight tremor of fear from his voice.

"And?"

"Nord is dead," the Admiral said even quicker and through the Force Malak could sense his fear growing. In the Sith military failure was not taken lightly. With Revan it meant dismissal or demotion if warranted. Malak's solution was far more permanent… and lethal.

"The punishment for failure is death," Malak stated his upper lip twitching in what used to be a smile as he felt the Admiral's fear skyrocket, "However the failure was not yours it was Calo Nord's and he paid for it with is life."

When the med droid finished replacing his metal jaw Malak finally turned to face Karath, "I should have known that no mere bounty hunter could bring down Jedi… especially her. No," Malak continued stroking his prosthesis deep in thought, "Summon my apprentice Darth Bandon . He will deal with the Jedi."

"If he fails," Admiral Karath asked hesitantly.

"I'll have to deal with them myself."

XXX

"Alright Carth were in position: minute on the clock go," she ordered.

Rachel once more smoothed out the lines on her uniform; a Sith marine dress uniform completely with all the bells and whistles. Turning to Canderous she asked, "Ready?"

Canderous slid his finger under the collar of his uniform, "Damn gundark suit. You really think they'll buy this charade."

"They'd better," Rachel muttered, "Alright quiet down," she finished as they approached Sith Embassy. As they neared the entrance to the Embassy and more importantly the four Sith Marines who stood guard in their gleaming silver armor, Rachel held out a small identity chip.

After a quick scan the head guard nodded and handed back their chips, "All right you're good," the sergeant grumbled, "though stay away from hangar two. Intel's got something going on and they don't like snoops," he warned.

Looking up he asked again, "What's the droid for?"

"It's a protocol droid," she answered without hesitation already haven thought up the question beforehand.

"Supplicating Statement: Yes just a protocol droid here nothing interesting to see nothing at all," the droid said innocently and Rachel could have slapped herself in the head.

"Thank you sergeant," Rachel said with all the false politeness she could muster, "we need to get moving."

The entrance of the Sith embassy was surprising Spartan. The room was made of cold durasteel with only a massive Sith banner hanging in the background for decoration. In the center of the room sat a desk and a computer station were the embassy receptionist was seated flanked by two more marines.

The receptionist looked up and frowned, "Hold on," she said standing up setting the marines immediately on guard, "Who are you I've meet-"

But Rachel cut her off smiling her friendliest smile, "Hold on his we were sent by," but she never finished as while she was speaking she freed her left hip concealed saber with her right hand and threw it. Aiming the saber with the Force it turned into a spinning discus of death which decapitated both marine guards effortlessly. Using the momentum she use used to throw her first saber she spun drawing her second and in the same motion lopped off the receptionist's head.

The three bodies it the ground nearly at the same time.

"Impressive," Canderous said simply eyebrows raised.

"Praising Statement: Most efficient kills master beautifully executed," the droid said almost wistfully as he relived the guard of his rifle, "you are good master we will have much fun together."

Rachel paused and when she didn't hear the piercing wail of an alarm she nearly sighed, "Looks like Carth's team did its job. Let's move."

XXX

"_Alright Carth were in position: minute on the clock go," _Carth heard Rachel's voice came over the comm.

He checked the blaster pistols on his belt one last time ad stepped of the ramp of the transport, followed by Bastila, Juhani and the Wookiee Zaalbar.

The hanger was empty and the team thankfully encountered no problem. The hallways were similar in the Sith Base on Taris. Mission had said the Sith and confined most of the personal to quarters until the "intel operatives were gone." So it was just a matter of using the Jedi's Force abilities' to avoid the few remaining patrols and following the signs to the main security station.

"All right here we are," Carth said clicking the safety off on his pistols, "Remember try not to shoot unless you have to we don't want the whole base alerted to are presence," though it was said more for him and the Wookiee because the others carried lightsabers.

Reaching out her pressed the button and the doors slid open and the team poured into the room sabers light and blasters held ready, "Nobody move," Carth shouted to the startled technicians.

One particularity brave or stupid man stood drawing his pistols and the other made move to do as well. Zaalbar launched himself at the two roaring and smashing together with a force that shattered both their skulls.

Steeping over the mess Carth and took a look at the security monitors sighing in relief as he did. If they had been a few moments later the whole base would have been alerted, for Rachel had just cut down the two guards and the receptionist.

Carth fished Mission's spike out of his bag and found an open terminal and plugged it in. Opening his comm. he said, "Mission I'm in… you got access."

Mission voice came back across the comm, "_One second… there I'm in_," she said the satisfaction in her voice clear, "_Locking down the barracks and personal quarters. Activating comm jammers on all frequencies but our own and restricting all computer commands to this terminal. Done that's it there blind, deaf, mute and trapped_."

Carth shook his head, "Well done Mission."

XXX

Rachel, Canderous and HK ran through the base towards the science lab. Mission had uploaded the embassy schematics once she had achieved control of the main computers. As they approached the door Rachel smiled a grim smile as she could her frustrated voices and banging on the door.

But Rachel felt another presence one coming down the other end of the hallway, a dark Jedi and half a dozen marines, "Shit… were going to have company," she said as she threw up a protective screen with the Force to shield their presence

Canderous swore under his breath, "How many?"

"Six and a Dark Jedi," she whispered.

HK's eyes glowed, "Disappointed response: Hardly a challenge."

Rachel merely nodded with a grim smile on her face. She and her team stepped around the corner.

"I what to know what the hell is going…," the robed and cloaked Dark Jedi was yelling but he trailed off as he saw the three. Focusing in of Rachel he commanded, "Who are…," but his eyes widened when his own Force senses detected Rachel was Force sensitive.

The Dark Jedi then smiled cruelly beneath his cloth mask as he activated his saber producing a blade of crimson light, "Jedi," he growled, "So you've come for data module. I didn't think Wann would break intergalactic law… at least so quickly," he finished with a chuckle.

A standoff ensued between the two sides. In the enclosed hallway neither the Marines or Canderous and HK couldn't fire without risking it being deflected back at them or hitting their respective Jedi.

"What to do, what to do," the fallen Jedi stated prowling back and forth. He knew the predicament they were in as well.

Rachel brandished her own sabers, "This," she said thrusting out her hands and dropping her shield. For the second time in as many minutes the Dark Jedi was taken by surprise. This time it was as he realized just how powerful his opponent was.

The Dark Jedi just managed to throw up his own Force Shield to protect himself from Rachel's Force Wave. However said shield did not protect the Sith Marines who were tossed about like rag dolls in a hurricane.

"HK, Canderous get the data," Rachel ordered, "I'll deal with him," she said referring to the Dark Jedi as she raised her sabers.

The Dark Jedi recovered breathing deeply his eyes yellow with sulfurous rage. Standing straight up he let out a roar of hate and charged his saber held high. Rachel counter-charged and the crashed into one another in a shower of sparks.

The Dark Jedi attacked hard and repeatedly raining done blows on Rachel's defenses, but her defenses held. Rachel gave ground letting him spend his strength while waiting to finish him in a single move.

Finally he made his mistake. The Dark Jedi struck out with a horizontal sweeping strike intent on bisecting Rachel; inadvertently the strike left himself open to counterstrike. Rachel didn't hesitate ducking beneath his blow she stepped inside his guard driving her sabers straight into his heart.

The Dark Jedi gasped as if stunned he could be beaten. When Rachel withdrew her sabers he took a step back and he gingerly touched the cauterized wound before promptly falling dead.

Rachel stood over the corpse and gave it a good kick just to make sure he was dead. Nodding in satisfaction she returned her sabers to her belt and headed back towards HK and Canderous.

XXX

Canderous reached the door to the science lab HK in tow, "Ready droid," the Mandalorian said dryly.

"Ready," was the machines one word reply.

He contacted the Twi'lek Mission and had her unlock the door. The blast doors groaned for a second before whirring open much to the surprise of the Marine who had been fidgeting with the door. Canderous lowered his blaster cannon and blew the soldier apart without hesitation.

The demonic droid took two steps into the room, "Sadistical Jest: Is it hot in here," the droid said as it raised its right arm. A small panel on HK's forearm slid back exposing a nozzle. From the nozzle leapt a stream of liquid fire hosing down the entire room catching men and women alight.

The whole room glowed for several seconds in a pale orange light till the fire died down along with the people in the room, "I didn't know you had a flamethrower," Canderous said mildly surprised.

XXX

HK and Canderous emerged from the storage room with Canderous holding a large orange block like component under his arm, "That it," Rachel questioned her eyebrow raised.

"The droid says so," Canderous said with a shrug.

"HK?"

"Reassuring response: Master my memory banks assure me that this is memory module unit for a Republic Speka class probe droid," the droid said without hesitation and sounding slightly offended that she would ask.

"Alright lets meet back up with Carth's team at the hanger and," but whatever she was going to say was cut off as Mission voice hurriedly interrupted over the comm..

"Rachel, Rachel," she said franticly.

Concerned as Mission wasn't the type to panic Rachel immediately answered, "Calm down what is it?"

"_The_ _local Constabulary have surround the embassy_," Mission said breathlessly, "_SWAT teams are being assembled while the're trying to get in touch with the ambassador or another official to let them go in." _

Rachel let out a slew of curses that nearly caused Canderous to blush, "Frack, I assume they've imposed a lock down on all outgoing and incoming air traffic and are watching the sub-bays."

"_Yep they've got gunships and submersibles too_," came Mission's reply.

Another round of curses "Carth you heard that."

"_Shavit… yeah what's the plan_," Carth voice sounded moments later cursing as well.

Rachel's mind raced as she thought going thinking up and discarding idea after idea before finally accepting there was only two ways to get out. One was to fight and kill Force knows how many cops or surrender and hope the fact that there was no security footage or live witness work in their favor.

"Canderous give the data to me," Rachel said holding her hand out. Canderous handed it over without question. She dropped it on the floor and crushed it beneath her boot heel, "Let's hope that Wann was more interested in the Sith not having the data than on recovering it."

"Carth get you and your team over here on the double," she had a plan she didn't like it but it had the best odds.

XXX

Outside the embassy the Selkath SWAT Commander finally receive permission from offworld to storm the embassy. Speaking into his comlink he ordered, "All teams proceed. Be warned we haven't heard from the embassy in over two hours and communications jammers are activated. Proceed with caution."

Watching his men and war droids file into the he felt nervousness grip at his stomach. It was a commander's worst nightmare, no intelligence, no surveillance and no idea of what he was getting in to.

Seconds passed ominously open before anyone reported. Finally one of his squad commanders called in sounding somewhat stunned and confused, "Uhm sir this is Sergeant Hulus."

The commander immediately replied, "Report sergeant. What have you found? Is the embassy staff still alive," he said hopefully not wanting to have to face his supervisor with a whole embassy full of dead.

"Most of the staff is still alive," the sergeant reported, "they're trapped locked down in their quarters… uh we also found another… group."

"Clarify."

"Four humans, a Cathar, a Wookiee and a droid… uh that looks like a protocol droid," he paused before adding in hushed tones, "three of them look like Jedi."

"Bring them in."

XXX

Rachel sat in an interrogation room in the main constable station being questioned by two Selkath inspectors; a Force Suppression collar about her neck. Rachel shifted again in her seat knowing that they were just trying to make her uncomfortable and nervous. That was also the reason that the environmental setting were set for a humidity above what was the human norm.

"So tell us again what happened," the first detective who Rachel had nicknamed 'Grumpy' growled in Selkath.

Rachel sighed theatrically, "I already told you… twice in fact."

The amphibian's eyes hardened as it repeated, "Tell us again."

"Fine," she said leaning forward and resting her arms on the table and her chin on her intertwined knuckles, "At the behest of the Republic Government, the Jedi Order and the local ambassador Roland Wann I was asked to conduct negation with the Sith. I and my team-"

"Why bring so many people," the second detective 'Grouchy' challenged.

Rachel glared at him for interrupting, "As I said before," she said in a tone approach exasperation, "I didn't trust them and with good reason. The moment we arrive in the embassy we were attacked."

"Why would they invited you in then attacked you," the Grumpy said skeptically.

Rachel shrugged, "You'd have to ask the Sith Ambassador."

"You killed him," Grouchy said deadpan.

Rachel sat back in the chair a smile touching her lips, "If you don't believe contact Wann. He'll confirm my story," or at least Rachel hoped he would. She had told Mission exactly what to tell the Ambassador and hopefully he would play ball to stick it to the Sith.

"That's not what your friend the Mandalorian says," Grumpy added.

"You're lying," Rachel said without hesitation. Canderous wouldn't betray hear his honor alone would demand that. Plus she had made certain all her team knew exactly what to say, "If you could prove otherwise I and my team would be in a dentition facility awaiting trial not going a round of twenty questions."

"You know one of them will talk it's only a matter of time," Grouchy growled.

"Come on," Rachel finally said mockingly, "I'm an ex-commando if you haven't thought this through. So unless you intend to break your own laws I ain't gonna talk and neither will my team. Now," all pretense of civility dropped from her tone, "Let me go or charge me."

Nonetheless despite her bluster she was surprised when they let her loose.

_Excerpt from __**The Dark Side of the Force; Nature of the Darkness**__ author unknown, found in the late Emperor Palpatine's private quarter on Byss_

_The dark side was seen as having been used for selfish purposes, although many darksiders who were accused of such selfishness claimed that their dark side was simply a means to achieve an end. Many found the dark side to be addictive, being unable to resist its pull the more they subjected themselves to it. Dark side users became more powerful as their physical bodies slowly decayed.. Like the light side, the dark side was often treated as though a semi-sentient entity with purposeful designs. _

_It has been theorized by some that there is no such thing as the dark side but only malevolent intent in the user, since most dark side users already had negative intentions in their being or fell victim to the temptations of absolute power and domination. This theory was fervently opposed by the Jedi Master Yoda. _

_The dark side, much like a strong, addictive narcotic, affected not only the mind of the user but the appearance as well. As one immersed themselves deeper within the dark side of the Force, its malevolent power would take a toll on the body. _

_Many darksiders experienced a change in the pigmentation of their eyes, as their normal eye color would transform into a luminous, sulfuric yellow. Often the skin would also lose pigmentation, becoming pale and mottled while veins became increasingly visible. The hair would also lose color, making it appear as though the darksider was aging rapidly. The user's voice would also be altered, becoming a few pitches lower and raspier. _

_The effects generally progressed over time and immersion in the dark side, and would not immediately affect one's appearance. Of those that embraced the dark side, different individuals would experience different symptoms: Darth Malak, for example, experienced a change in eye color, but no other effects that could be explained naturally; although he required a vocabulator after his jaw was severed. Darth Revan however was known to suffer no known negative cosmetic side effects of the darkside; in fact it was said that she was even more beautiful after being 'touched by darkness.'_

_In time, the corruption could go beyond mere cosmetic details and directly impair physical abilities. King Ommin of Onderon was a proficient Sith Sorcerer for most of his life, and the dark side held him under its decaying influence until he eventually became incapable of movement and needed support from a cyborg exoskeleton in order to survive. The worst case of this transformation would be Darth Nihilus, who not only was completely consumed by the dark side mentally but also physically. He had become a living entity of the dark side of the Force and uncaring of all life. Fortunately he was slain by his Master, the Dark Lord Revan when she realized the extent of the threat the creature posed._

_The dark side would have an even greater effect on the mind, as the user would become increasingly untrusting and quick to anger. _

_While the dark side could destroy a body, it was also capable of sustaining one. The hateful, passionate, determined energies of the dark side were so powerful that it could prevent death for a body that was far past the point of death for a normal being. King Adas of Korriban survived for almost three centuries. Darth Sion who suffered grievously in the Great Sith War and the Jedi Civil War had the appearance of a walking corpse. His flesh was "cracked and scarred" and he had "several thousand fractures in his skeleton," according to a Republic medical officer. He survived through the power of hate, and called upon the dark side to make him near-immortal. Near was the key word though as Darth Revan would spend him to his doom as well, destroying his physical form completely and scattering his remains in interstellar space._


	10. Chapter 9: ManaanAttack of theFishPeople

Sorry this took so long. My laptop was in the shop and it had all my writings saved on it.

**Chapter Nine: Manaan Attack of the Fish People**

Silently, menacingly the Leviathan slid through the darkness of interstellar space like some sea monster of mythos sliding through the depths of the ocean.

Malak sat his meditation chamber at the base of the conning tower wrapped in the cold embrace of the Dark-side. Nearly five hours ago a report had reached him of an assault on the Sith Embassy on Manaan.

It was so like her Malak had thought as he read the report, brilliant and ruthless accomplishing the objective while improvising on the way. It angered him greatly that the Selkath had had her in the grip of their webbed hands and let her go.

It was as he was contemplating recent events he sensed a familiar presence enter the room. The man named Darth Bandon knelt on one knee before the Dark Lord of the Sith his eyes glued to the deckplate, "What is thy bidding my Master."

Malak looked down at the man before him. Bandon like Revan, Malak and a majority of the ranking darksiders in the Sith Empire had left the Jedi Order to follow Revan to fight the Mandalorians. However he had never served with Revan personally and had spent the war under Malak's command. His loyalty or at least as much loyalty as any darksider could have towards another had always been to Malak; therefore he was an appropriate apprentice until a more suitable could be found.

Malak reached out with the Force and activated a holo-emitter which caused a life sized hologram to spring to life. The picture was one taken from the security footage of the Sith Base on Taris; it showed two women, "Do you recognize either one of them," Malak rumbled.

Bandon raised his eyes to the holos and studied them for several long seconds, "One the brunette is the Jedi Bastila Shan and the other…," he trailed off, "I am sorry my master I do not know her."

Malak studied his pupil intently searching for any hint of deception. Said deception would have warranted immediate death, "Her name is Rachel Skirta she is also a Jedi a companion of Bastila," he lied smoothly, "Kill them both and all those who travel with them."

XXX

After the near fiasco in the embassy raid Rachel had decided it would be a good idea to stay away from the Republic Embassy for a while. The team had split up again taking some more R&R.

Rachel and Carth had spent their day together. They had gone out to eat, saw a swoop race and were currently watching a holo-drama at the theater.

The holo was an older movie as the film industry had suffered during the Mandalorian war and the current. It was a romantic and she wondered why Carth had picked it. It was a nice thought but wasn't her type of movie. Deciding to find out she leaned over and asked sweetly, "Carth not that I mind but why did you pick this movie?"

Carth gave her a sheepish look that she thought made him look cute he answered, "Uhmm I though women liked uhh sappy movies."

Rachel shook her head and chuckled softly, "Think about it Carth. Does it look like a movie I'd like," she said playfully, "it was thoughtful though," she resting her head on Carth's shoulder who promptly shifted so he could wrap his arm around hers and pull her closer.

The movie wasn't so bad Rachel realized the story was about two very different people from different walks of life who fall in love and despite the odds and difficulties lived happily ever after. She found it an allegory for her and Carth; a Mandalorian Mercenary/Jedi and a Republic Naval Captain in love… who'd of thought of that? As she thought it, it hit her like a meteorite. Love… she was in love with Carth.

Yet the sudden joy that thought seconds later was replaced by dread at the thought that he could be in love with her. She didn't know why it did. She could feel joy at the hope he might love her but instead she was filled with a sense of dirty and wretchedness and she had no idea why.

XXX

Carth had a stupid grin on his face and knew it. He couldn't help it. It felt so right to have Rachel resting her head on his shoulder with his arm around her shoulders. He was happy he realized for the first time in a long time he was genially truly happy with another woman who wasn't his late wife.

He wasn't paying attention to the movie at all. Instead he found himself playing with Rachel's shoulder length golden hair while he thought deeply. Honestly when he had first started this relationship he was just looking for something psychical to distract him from the war and Rachel was certainly beautiful enough to do that.

Though somewhere along the way he had come to care deeply for the Mandalorian warrior, something that two years ago he would have thought impossible, and then he realized he had fallen in love with her. He loved her in a way he hadn't loved anyone since… Morganna his wife died. The only question left was did she feel the same way about him?

Slowly he realized that Rachel was starring up at him with a strange expression on her face. Before he could open his mouth to ask what was wrong she suddenly blurted out, "I love you."

Carth was floored she had admitted some time ago that she cared for him but love? He never though this strong, independent woman before him would admit that. Again before he could say anything she cut him off. This time placing her right index finger on his lips to silence him, "Don't say anything," she whispered to his confusion, "Not now… I just wanted you to know… in case," she said sadly looking into his eyes, "in case something should happen. I wanted you to know I love you."

Rachel," he started concerned he didn't think he could go on if something happened to her, certainly not now. He knew Jedi could sometimes see the future. Was she foreseeing her own death or his?

"Please," she said almost begging, "I… I don't think I'm ready to be loved by anyone not yet."

Confused and not quite understanding he eventually nodded in agreement. Though he reached up and brushed the few strands of hair that had fallen in front of her face and kissed her sweetly on the lips attempting to show her he loved her with that kiss.

The finished the movie in silence and left the theater. It was late, well actually in fact it was early the next day, so they headed back to embassy but a good distance away a shop caught Carth's eye and he turned to Rachel and said, "I'll catch up with you at the embassy. I… need to do something first," he finished hoping she wouldn't ask for an explanation.

To his relief she didn't she just tilted her head curiously before saying, "Alright don't get into trouble," she finished with a smile he mood improved from earlier.

Carth waited until she was gone from view before entering the small little shop. Entering he looked around at the products before locating the manager, a Neimoidian male, "Ahh," the tall red-eyed amphibian creature said, "Hello I'm Lott Dod the proprietor of this shop. How can I help you," the Neimoidian paused studying Carth for a second, "For you or a lady friend?"

Carth resisted the urge to blush, "Uhmm a Lady a special lady," he paused before adding, "I'm Telosian and I was just wondering if…"

"Ah say no more," the creature said raising his hands and heading away, "I have some in the back."

"What do you want it made of… gold, silver or platinum," the shopkeeper called out from the back of his store.

"Gold," Carth answered shouting back.

"The stone?"

"Sapphire," he said before explaining, "It's the color of her eyes."

Moments later the keeper returned with a small black velvet box. He handed it over to Carth, "It will automatically adjust for size. You're lucky to with the destruction of Telos I stopped getting shipments," he paused, "Well what do you think."

Slowly, almost reverently he opened the box revealing a beautifully gold ring with a dazzling, brilliant blue sapphire. He smiled as he handed the Neimoidian his credit chit.

XXX

Rachel leaned up against the wall of the Embassy garden deep in thought when she felt Juhani enter the room, "Rachel is something wrong… you seem pensive," the Cathar said sitting down next to her.

"It's nothing," she said running her hand across her face before amending, "I told Carth I love him."

Juhani tilted her head smiling glad for her friend, "That's wonderful Rachel."

"I told him not to say anything," she admitted. Not entirely surprised at Juhani's reaction. The Cathar had been far more supportive of her and Carth's relationship than Bastila. Bastila had been ready to spit bulkhead shavings when she found out.

"Why," she questioned she may not approve but Rachel was still her friend.

"I don't know. I love him," she said firmly fully convinced of that, "it's just… I don't know."

Juhani shook her head, "The council says love is dangerous for a Jedi. They say it leads to jealousy, envy and lust and are of the Dark Side and to be avoided."

Rachel shook her head, "I can't agree with that," she said sighing, "to do so is to deny human nature. Plus," she continued growing serious, "love is powerful. Love can make a man move mountains even without the Force. It's ironic isn't it, love is something both Jedi and Sith avoid. Sith avoid it because it can lead to compassion and the Jedi because it can lead to jealousy."

She wrapped her arms around herself, "I just don't know if it will work out… how can it work out even if we survive," she said sadly looking up at Juhani.

Juhani nodded slowly before her head shot up as if she just realized something. Pursing her lips as if wanting to ask a question but not quite sure how, "Rachel…," she started hesitantly, "You're… you and Carth… um you are some kind of… contraceptive…right," it was slightly off topic but she thought it was important enough to come right out and say.

Rachel let out a self-deprecating laugh, "Of course I'm not stupid Juhani… besides," she said with another laugh, "could you picture me with a child?"

A small smile touched the Cathar's lips, "I think you'd make a good mother," Juhani said honestly surprising Rachel, "You have much to teach… to pass on. You're also extremely protective of those you care about."

"My advice… is to tell him. You need to be focused or at least as focused as you can be," Juhani joked.

Rachel started to shake her head but Juhani reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, "If you don't you may end up regretting it the rest of your life," she said emphatically, "there was someone back on Dantooine… that I… I cared about. He was killed in battle recently I will always regret not telling him. Don't make that mistake."

Rachel contemplated Juhani's words and came to the realization that she was right. For good or for ill she loved Carth and her actions were hurting him as much as her. Plus if something were to happen to either of them the other would regret her decision for the rest of her life.

Standing up she gave Juhani quick hug, much to the Jedi's surprise, and bolted from the room saying, "I've got to talk to Carth."

Reaching out with her with her senses she found Carth in his quarters. The ambassador had given them separate quarters not aware of their relationship. Considering Rachel was a Jedi he probably didn't even give it a thought. Most people thought Jedi were likes monks and while there were many similarities celibacy wasn't one of them.

Rachel pressed the door control button causing it to slide open. Carth spun around, "Rachel ," Carth started to saw but was cut off as Rachel collided with him, pushing him back into the bed.

Rachel started down at him, "Say it," she said desperation coloring her voice. She also uncharacteristically felt a hint of fear well up in her heart. It was funny she realized that even though she had faced Dark Jedi, infamous bounty hunters and Sith soldiers Carth could hurt her in a way they never could.

Carth looked confused before the light of realization flashed in his eyes as it felt into context with what they had discussed at the holo-theater. Reaching up he brushed her hair away from her face, "I love you Rachel."

Rachel closed her eyes and fought to keep her emotions under control as she felt an explosion of happiness in her chest. Smiling she grasped his head in her hands and kissed him.

XXX

Canderous sat in the embassy lounge nursing his drink. He like all the crew knew about Rachel and Carth's… liaison. On the moral level he had no objections to their relationship. What he did object was that Rachel had decided on taking Carth as her lover. On every level it was wrong that 'she' would take a Republic officer to her bed.

Canderous chuckled. It seemed that for all her talent and skill her ability to select lovers was still poor. Her last one had tried to kill her. He hoped it wouldn't come to that. No he assured himself patting his side-arm he would let anything happen to her… not again.

As he sat there drinking Bastila entered the room and sat down across from him, "Canderous," the Jedi said with a scowl on her face, "I need to talk to you."

Canderous raised an eyebrow, "'bout what princess?"

"Rachel and Carth," she said bluntly her grey eyes digging into him.

He took a stab at it, "You don't approve of their… relationship?"

She nodded a slight nod of her head, "The High Council forbids Jedi to have personal relationships," she said with all self-rightness of a religious fanatic, "I have tried to talk to her but she will not listen. She is a Jedi she should act like and follow the commands of the council."

Canderous shook his head and laughed, "She's been a Jedi for all of what… six weeks. You think that two weeks of training is going to turn her into a one of the Council's drone. Plus she's a full grown woman and can choose who she wants to lay with…and," he added lastly, "I'd like to see you try and stop her."

Bastila spluttered in indignation, "You understand nothing Mandalorian," she spat the last word as a curse, "a Jedi cannot become attached or tied down to others. They must be willing to sacrifice all for the Republic and the Order."

With that Bastila stood up and left as quickly as she entered leaving Canderous in the same position he was when this started… nursing his drink.

XXX

As she sat in the co-pilot seat of the submersible Rachel sat in wonder as it dawned upon her that Ambassador Wann had done what she thought was impossible… he had completely and utterly stunned her twice in as many days.

She had thought the Republic Ambassador couldn't have gotten more audacious after he asked her to break galactic law by raiding the Sith embassy, but she was wrong. She was now on a mission to investigate a mining station set up by the Republic and a faction of the Selkath government sympathetic to them.

The problem was what they were doing was not only a violation of a treaty between the Sith, Republic and Selkath governments regarding the export of kolto, but also a dangerous gamble. If the Republic was caught their supply of Kolto could be severely cut and tens of thousands of Republic soldiers could die as a result.

She shook her head and leaned back in the chair. She took a look out the window and immediately wished she hadn't as a giant sea creature passed within a few hundred meters of the sub. Rachel was forced to calm herself from near hyperventilation; when she succeeded she rested her head back on the headrest. She really hated this world.

_XXX_

_Revan lay in the stinking mud on the jungle world of Dxun wearing her now signature red and black armor. It had been one hell of a ride from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant to her position now. When Revan had first left the Jedi Order and marched to the Senate building to offer the Supreme Chancellor her services and the services of the Jedi who decided to follow her._

_Revan was originally given the brevet rank of Major General she had been assigned to Fleet Admiral Valen's Fleet Group Outer to assist the beleaguered Republic forces there. Fleet Group Outer area of responsibility as the name suggested was the Republic holdings in the Outer Rim. By this point in the war they were fighting at the inner edge of the Mid-Rim in desperate battle to stem the tide of the Mandalorian advance._

_She and her knights had aided the Republic forces in holding action after holding action, in retreat after retreat earning great respect and honor amongst citizens and soldiers alike. _

_When the Mandalorian's pushed out of the Mid-Rim and into the Inner-Rim the critically important shipyard of __Bilbringi fell under attack. It was __Fleet Group Outer along with elements of the Mid and Inner-Rim fought to hold one of the most critical systems for the Republic, and was the system where Revan earned her fame._

_In the opening hours of the assault Admiral Valen was killed leaving Revan as the most senior officer left alive. Revan assumed command and rallied the fleet in a brutal and savage three month space and land battle for the system. The battle for Bilbringi ended with over ten million collective causalities; though the Mandalorian offensive had faltered. Revan had managed to destroy two entire Mandalorian Battle Groups which included over a hundred capital ships and a thousand supports ships. The Mandalorian's also suffered the near destruction of an entire System's Army which was left behind when the Battle Group was destroyed. The Republic had its first major victory._

_The Mandalorian defeat at Bilbringi marked the end of the Mandalorian offensive and the beginning of Revan's counter offensive. Revan after the fame of her victory was promoted and given Supreme Command of the Republic Rim Fleets. Reinforced and resupplied Revan launched the largest counter-attack to date._

_With the pride of the Mandalorian Militarily defeated a severe blow was dealt from which they had yet and possibly could not recover. Revan's counter-offensive overwhelmed the regrouping Mandalorians and within five months had pushed them back towards the pre-war borders and beyond. Within six-months Revan had pushed them back to the doorstep of Mandalorian Space._

_However in an odd twist of fate it was now Revan's attacks that stalled… stalled at a place called Dxun. It had taken her less than a year for Revan to push the previously invincible Mandalorians back across the galaxy. However she had been on Dxun slogging it out with heavily entrenched Mandalorians for more the six months now with no end in sight._

_She had argued long and hard for taking Dxun. While the planet held no tactical and little strategic value it held unimaginable propaganda value. Dxun more than any other planet beside Mandalore was one all Mandalorians called home. It was a world where the very planet itself is an analogy for the Mandalorian way of life. To take it from them would be a slap in the face for every Mandalorian and a personal insult to Mandalore's honor._

_But that victory had yet to materialize, Revan though dryly as she laid in the mud. The Mandalorians had built a honeycomb of defenses in Dxun and her men were paying for it with oceans of blood. _

_Looking out with her macro-binoculars Revan studied the enemy fortifications in front of her and sighed, artillery and machine gun emplacements and trenches galore. Intelligence believed this to be the last major stronghold on Dxun, she hoped to the Force they were right._

"_Here you go sergeant take a look," Revan said handing off the goggles to the noncom who normally led this recon team._

"_Thanks general," the gruff sergeant grunted taking the macro-binoculars. Seconds later he let out a brutal string of curses, "gonna be one bitch of a fight general."_

_Revan nodded in agreement, "Send a runner back to base camp and tell Malak to gear up," she looked up and saw that the sky was darkening slightly, "I want the two-three-nine and oh-five-one ready to attack in the morning. I also want every artillery piece her can scrape together trained on this place ready to open up before the assault," she ordered. She had a feeling that two half strength divisions wouldn't be enough to crack open the shell, but it was all she had in the area._

_The sergeant held the macro-binoculars up for Revan to take back but she waved him off, "Keep them sergeant. You'll need them more than me."_

"_Ma'am?"_

"_I'm going down there," she said determinedly, "I'll see what kinda of damage I can before the attack starts." She knew the odds weren't in her favor but in war risks must be taken. _

_The sergeant shook his head vehemently, "I'm sorry general it's too dangerous."_

_Revan glared at the sergeant. She often found her Mandalorian style mask was very intimidating amongst Republic personal, "It's not up to you. It's my call sergeant if we don't do something the two-three-nine and oh-five-one are going to have a bloodbath on their hands… and mine." _

_The sergeant looked properly cowed, "At least let the squad come with you," he tried one last time._

_The man was stubborn Revan had to give him that and loyal too, "No I'll move faster on my own and besides," she added with a slight laugh, "If something goes wrong I'll need you and Malak to come and rescue me."_

_With a mock salute she moved down the hill towards the fortress using the Force to avoid the patrols. It took her the better part of two hours to navigate her way through the Mandalorian defenses and into the Fortress. With equal parts luck, skill and use of the Force Revan managed to infiltrate to Fortress slipping like a shadow in the night threw the battlements and defenders._

_Revan made her way undetected to the shield generator complex. Pulling two charges from her belt she placed one in a half-hearted hiding place and the other more carefully concealed. The charge would take out the generators right before the attack was to begin allowing the Republic artillery to unleash their full destructive power._

_Leaving the room as quickly as she entered she headed back over the path she came in through. She paused and cursed vehemently as she felt a large Mandalorian patrol coming her way. Turning back the way she came she made it about a hundred meters before she felt another patrol coming. Stopping dead she stretched out with her senses cursing again as she felt nearly a hundred Mandalorian warriors closing in on her position. She must have tripped a sensor and not realized it._

_Revan drew her twin sabers igniting them and charged as her enemies rounded the corner._

_XXX_

Rachel woke to the sound of Carth's voice, "Wakey, Wakey sleepy head we're there," he said ruffling her hair.

Rachel sat up in the chair and stretched working blood back into her limbs, "How's it look," she said taking her own look at the top secret underwater facility. It was monstrous to say the least. The sensor said it sprawled out over several miles and it indicated it extened even deeper into the side of the underwater mountain n on which it was built.

"Pretty bad," Carth said a worried look on his face, "It's like the ambassador said. I'm not getting anything on the comms… everything's dead."

Revan stretched out with the Force sending tendrils of energy through the station when they returned she nearly gagged at the sense of death and insanity coming from the place. Something was definitely wrong but that wasn't all she sensed… there was still life on the station but like everyone think else it felt…off.

She briefly thought about contacting Bastila and Juhani on the other submersible but decided against it. They had probably already sensed the same thing, "Alright Carth," she ordered,"take us in."

After several tense minutes Carth managed to maneuver his submersible into the docking bay and a few moments latter Canderous did the same. Rachel, Carth, Mission and Zaalbar emerged from their sub while Canderous, Bastila, Juhani and HK-47 exited theirs.

"Be careful everyone there's something wrong with this place," Rachel said warningly. There was something about this place that made her uneasy either that or it was because this place was under a billion tons of water.

"Rachel's correct," Bastila said, "something is definitely wrong here."

"Over here," Mission called out. She was crouching here the blast door to the area pointing at something, "I wonder why they'd try to keep people out."

As she was speaking Canderous frowned a moved closer to the door, "They weren't," he said pointing at the door's seem, "See here it's been welded on this side."

"They were trying to keep people in," Bastila said questioningly moving closer to get a better look.

Rachel too approached the door and ran her hand along the weld line, "This is becoming more and more complicated," she said mostly to herself. Resolving herself she stood and activated one of her sabers slamming it up to the hilt at the top of the door and dragged it all the way to the bottom.

Returning her saber to her belt "Canderous, HK the door," she said and gestured to the door.

The massive Mandalorian and the Assassin droid approached the door and grabbed a side and pulled. Slowly the doors slid grinding horridly against the metal floor till they were opened enough to allow them to allow a person through.

"We should head towards the control room," Bastila said as she studied the schematics the ambassador had given them, "We can reach it from here if we head through the personal quarters."

"Sounds good to me," Carth said adding his two cents.

Rachel nodded agreeing, "Canderous, HK you stay here and guard the subs. The rest of you follow me."

XXX

Foreboding was a word that just barely covered the facility. The halls were dark and leaky while lights flickered on and off and worst of all was the bodies; mangled and shredded bodies some of which looked as if they'd been gnawed on but so far they hadn't encountered a single living soul.

As they were moving Rachel heard something… a groan or a growl from something or someone up head. Drawing her saber she called out while the same time reaching out with the Force, "Hello is anyone out there."

She saw a flicker of movement… a figure crouched over, huddling in the darkness. The rest of her team saw it as well and trained their blasters or readied their sabers. Rachel felt confused as she carefully approached the creature, a Selkath she could know clearly see. She could barely feel it in the Force and it didn't feel as it should.

"Are you alright," she started to say but was cut off as the Selkath turned around reveling bloodshot eyes and a bloody maw. Rachel swore as the beast leapt at her and she threw up her left arm to block it. However the creature undeterred latched onto her arm in a savage bite and the force of the impact threw her on her back.

Rachel let out a stream of curses as she grappled with the feral Selkath. Before her team could intervene she ignited her saber and drove it hard into the Selkath's flank again and again till the fish finally stopped moving.

Pushing it off her she shakily stood cradling her bloody arm. The rest of her team came up quickly shouting out words of concern. Carth ever the consummate soldier had the med kit out and started tending to the wound.

XXX

The wound was pretty bad Carth realized as he applied Kolto to the wound. Once the injection was finished depleted he began to wrap the wound in a dressing. It would heal in no time the kolto and Rahel's healing abilities would see to that, and for that he was grateful.

"So what do you think happened to him," he said with a gesture towards the rapidly cooling corpse.

"Bets it has something to do with what went wrong here," Rachel said through gritted teeth.

Carth opened his mouth to agree but a wailing scream cut him off.

"What was that," Mission said hurriedly and somewhat fearfully pointing her blaster pistol, white knuckled, in the direction of the sound.

Carth drew his own blasters clicking off the safeties as the wailing came again though it seemed it was louder than before. Zaalbar primed his bowcaster as well and aimed it towards the end of the hall way.

The wailing came again but this time Carth realized that it wasn't just one scream but many and Bastila only reinforced that realization when she and Juhani ignited their lightsabers and she cried, "Something's coming," she said with a tremble in her voice.

Carth raised his pistols and aimed them down the hallway. At same Rachel yelled into the comm, "Canderous, HK are you there… do you read me."

Another wail came, this time over the comms followed by a long string of Mandalorian curses, "Someone what to tell me what the frack his going on," Canderous's voice bellowed over the wailing and the blaster fire.

"No time," he heard Rachel shout as he saw the first of the rabid Selkath emerged from the darkness, "Can you hold?"

Instead of Canderous's voice, HKs murderously cheery answered, "Affirmative Response: Oh yes Master we can hold off these mongrels for as long as you require. Prideful Boast: I am leading the Mandalorian in kills thirty-eight to thirty-two."

Carth didn't hear the rest as he took aim and squeezed the triggers on his pistols sending ruby red bolts into the mass of screaming Selkath. His fire was soon joined but Mission's blasterfire and the green energy quarrels of Zaalbar's bowcaster.

The insane Selkath either didn't notice the fire or more likely didn't care as they continued to charge over the corpses of their fellows. The fell by the dozen one after another and fell even faster when the Jedi joined in hacking limbs and heads. However it seemed how many they killed more replaced the fallen.

Carth fired his weapons over and over each shot striking home until his weapons ran dry and he was force to replace the power packs. He did this several times.

After what seemed like hours but in reality was only a few minutes the tide subsided leaving a horde of dead Selkath before them, "We should get moving," Carth said panting as he ejected the powerpacks from his pistols and slammed in fresh ones.

No one argued with him.

"Bastila which way," Rachel called out still holding her left arm across her chest protectively.

Bastila consulted the datapad, "Straight ahead."

XXX

As they approached the hallway that would lead them to the control room Rachel sighed in frustration, partly because her arm while healing still hurt and the blast door was sealed. On a positive note they hadn't run into more crazy Selkath and Canderous and HK had repulsed the attack on them.

"Mission open the door," she said having faith in the young Twi'lek's abilities. Reaching out with the Force she scanned the area for more of the creatures. Now that she and the other Jedi knew what to look for it was much easier to sense them. Though the more she did the more the feeling grew that there was something else out there. Not in the station but in the water.

She was so focused on the presence in the Force she didn't here Mission calling to her had first, "Sorry what?"

Mission repeated herself, "I can't open it," she said with finality.

"Now's not the time to be humble Mission," Rachel said, "I know you can do it," with encouragement in her voice.

She shook her head causing her head-tails to flap about, "You don't get it. The room beyond is compromised and filled with sea-water."

"Firefek," Rachel cursed. She was doing a lot of that lately she realized dryly. Turning to Bastila she asked, "Is there another way around."

Bastila checked the data-pad, but before she even spoke her face said everything, "I'm sorry that was the only way."

Rachel slammed her right fist into the wall and moments later wished she didn't, "Any ideas," she queried.

It was Juhani who spoke up, "This is an underwater station," the Cathar said stating the obvious; "Shouldn't they have pressure suits?"

"There's an airlock back that way," Bastila said excitedly pointing back the way they came, "They'll have pressure suits there."

They all agreed and backtracked towards the airlock narrowly avoiding another fight, but when the got there they discovered another problem. The six pressure suits the dressing room before the airlock had held were laying all over the floor, along with the bloody remains of several bodies, in pieces.

"I hate Manaan I really do," Rachel grumbled. If she ever got of this water ball of a world she swore she'd never… ever come back. Carth however looked thought. Rachel noticed this and asked, "You have an idea."

Carth nodded stroking his chin, "These are Corellian type-three environmental suits they're the same kind we use in the Navy."

"You can fix them," Mission asked skeptically and Zaalbar grunted in agreement. Rachel had to agree with Mission's skepticism. The suits were in terrible shaped most of them were torn and shredded.

"No," Carth admitted, "but," he added, "I might be able to scrap a single suit together."

They went to work and in roughly five minutes, "There we are," Carth said. The suit was together and the seals checked out. It stood assemble in its stand waiting from someone to enter it.

"I guess I better get moving," Rachel said heading towards the suit but she felt Carth catch arm but her arm… her bad arm. Rachel hissed, it stung but it didn't hurt as much as it did before.

"No way Rachel," Carth said determinedly, "Your arm's still hurt," his face then changed to a look of concentration as if remembering something, "besides you can't even swim."

Rachel winced he was right on both parts and wished he wasn't and she hadn't told him about not being be able to swim. It was something she just hadn't ever had the time to learn. She also didn't mention that being under this much water was scaring the hell out of her. However she didn't let it show, "It's not like I'll be doing much swimming this deep."

"Besides," she continued pinning Carth with a glare that would have sent lesser men running for the hills, "I'm a Jedi and I have the Force. I stand a better chance than you of surviving."

After a brief argument Rachel managed to convince Carth and the others that she should be the one to go. As she donned the suit and exited the air lock a small part of her wished she hadn't been so convincing.

She was nearly hyperventilated as she stepped outside into the darkness of Manaan's worldwide ocean. She had said it before and said it again, she fracking hated this planet. She was moving on the edges of the scaffolding running along the outside of the station she noticed another figure.

The figure spun around his movements exaggerated underwater. "_He-hey who goes there… you're not Selkath. Are you with another rescue crew_," he stuttered over the radio pointing something at her… a harpoon gun Rachel realized, but he lowered it when he saw her.

"_Name's Rachel. I'm a Jedi sent by the ambassador to investigate the facility_," she said, "_What the hell happened here? Are you one of the station staff?_"

"_No I was a mercenary hired to secure the facility. After we landed… those things… the crazy Selkath swarmed over… killing my men,_" he said nearly hysterical, "_I… I ran out here where it safe. I've been waiting out her till it's safe. I think… its safe_," he continued looking out, "_I found a way to seal the rest of the falicilty. I just have to find the kolto harvester. They built it on the edge of the rift_."

"_No wait_," Rachel yelled as the man took off into open water. Moments later a massive Frixan Shark swept down and clamped his mighty jaws around and swam off with the unfortunate merc in a torrent of blood.

Deciding she would be better off staying out of open water Rachel hugged the scaffolding alongside the building using the Force to turn away any sharks that showed interest as she made her way to the control room. Eventually she reached the correct airlock and made her way inside.

XXX

Colonel Reinhardt Vankonis of the Black Hand stood overlooking the massed ranks of the Sith 527th Armored Division recently pulled from the line for refit before being returned to active service. However impressive the troops may have been standing in their gleaming silver armor along with their tanks and infantry fighting vehicles they were not the reason he was here. The reason he was here was the same reason he was wearing army gray instead of his usual obsidian black. He was to meet, covertly, the man currently reviewing said troops. That man was the current army inspector general, Field Marshal Erwin Swhartze.

The Field Marshal was the previous chairman of the Sith General Staff and one of Revan's most trusted officers. For his loyalty to his fallen master he had been removed from command by Malak and placed in a position that any combat officer would despise.

"Field Marshal," Reinhardt called out clicking his heels together and saluting in proper military fashion.

Reinhardt nearly smiled as he saw the flash of recognition in the old man's eyes and the wisdom to hide said knowledge. The Marshal returned the salute," What can I do for you Captain…," he said trailing off to allow the intelligence officer time to supply a name.

"Curban sir," he said giving his false identity. The real Curban was a small time analyst assigned to a unit on the far side of the galaxy and the likelihood of any of the personal recognizing him was slim to say the least, "I have a document here," he said holding up a datapad, "that requires your… private attention sir."

"Very well Captain lead the way," and so he did leading the Field Marshal into a room which Bland Hand operatives had already swept for bugs.

Once they were in and the door closed Reinhardt turned to the General and said, "The room is clean you can speak freely sir."

"Thank you… Vankonis, Reinhardt if I recall correctly. Care to tell be why you are here," the old man asked shrewdly his eyes digging into the intel colonel.

If the Marshal thought he could intimidate him he was sorely mistaken, "This will explain everything," the colonel said removing a small holo-emitter presenting it to the Marshal.

Wordlessly, skeptically he told the emitter and thumbed the switch causing a small holo of a man. A small hologram of General Jaster Skirta leapt up from the emitter, "_Ahh Field Marshal… I trust no introductions are need. Despite our differences… and distain for one another,_" the hologram said underscoring that the pair had long been rivals, "_our respective loyalties have never been called into question. Colonel Vankonis has something to show you_."

"Sir," he said handing the Field Marshal the datapad. The old man took the pad with his over hand, "The first images were taken almost five weeks ago on Taris. The second set, yesterday from an operative on Manaan."

Reinhardt watched with a certain satisfaction as the Field Marshal expression turned from curiosity to confusion to amazement, "This… this has been confirmed," he said with an uncharacteristic stutter.

Reinhardt raised his hands in mock offense, "Of course sir."

The Marshal shakily found a chair and sat down, "She's alive?"

"Yes… yes she is," the colonel said without hesitation, "and we need your help." He took several minutes to explain what had happened so far, "what we need you to do is to contact anyone on the line with whom you still have influence. Convince them that Malak is not the one to be followed."

He stared at the datapad he had been given as if he couldn't believe this reverse of fortune, "I will be given… a command again."

The colonel studied the Marshal before saying, "She always valued your skill and loyalty. I doubt she would throw that away."

Field Marshal Erwin Swhartze stood and straightened his uniform with a determination the old man hadn't use since Darth Revan's 'death,' "You and your general have my support."

XXX

"You bastards just tried to kill me," Rachel shouted her voice full of barely controlled rage a she held her saber at the man's throat. To have been through everything she had gone through up till this point only to die at the hands of two scientists.

"Please stop," the woman pleaded with tears streaming down her face, "We've been here for days all alone and we watched as our research team… our friends were devoured."

Rachel hesitated before dropping her hand and calling the blade back to its hilt, "What the hell happened here?"

The woman sighed and ran her hand through her hair, "It all started when started drilling in sector 4a. We thought we'd discovered the richest concentration of kolto yet, but when we started to mine we discovered something some ruins and… released something."

Rachel eyes narrowed she glared at the scientist. She was talking about the strange presence she had felt from the movement she stepped on the Force-forsaken station, "Released what exactly," she said slowly and menacingly. The ruins were what she was looking for… they had to be the Star Map.

The woman gulped but it was the man who answered, "We don't know what exactly but… but it looked like a giant Frixan shark but it was different. It… it seemed to be able to control the other sharks," he then through a u nsteady look at his fellow scientist, "When it screamed… that's the only way I can describe it… it felt like a bomb going off inside my head and it… that's what drove the Selkath mad."

"How do I fix it," Rachel said looking from the man to the woman and back again, "More importantly how do I get to the ruins."

"You can't," the woman said without hesitation, "The sharks are guarding it."

The man ran over to a console and produced a large vial, "You can use this. It's a chemical that was designed to drive the sharks away. You can use it to get rid of the sharks and get to your ruin. Then hopefully things will return to normal."

"No," the woman shouted vehemently glaring at the man, "You can't," she continued turning a pleading look to Rachel, "It was designed to harmlessly drive the sharks away but it we never got it right. Instead of be repulsive to them it acts as a sort of neuro toxin. It kills them by rupturing their kin and preventing them from taking in oxygen."

"And the problem with that is…," Rachel trailed off.

"We only tested in a controlled environment. We have no idea what it could do in the open ocean. It could damage the kolto," the woman shouted.

Rachel snapped her head around to face the man, "Were you gonna tell me this," she roared angrily. She could barely believe that this man would risk the kolto supply and gamble with the lives of millions of soldiers.

"What other choice do we have," he shouted back.

The woman fell silent contemplating before snapping her fingers, "It's the harvester the creature as a problem with. We've seen the shark on the cameras bashing itself against the harvester. If you destroy it the shark may simply go away.

"You don't know that" the man shot back,"and besides the Republic need the kolto this station produces if we have any hope to win the war."

"We can't take the chance," Rachel said crossing her arms, "Kolto is too important to risk. If the toxin damages the kolto then we've screwed ourselves now haven't we," she said staring the man down hard till he looked away, "I rather the Republic make do what it can get legally now rather than risk the entire supply."

She couldn't believe the man would not only risk countless Republic soldiers to normally easily healable that would become fatal without the Kolto but also the Republic's own import from Manaan if the Selkath discovered what they were doing.

"I'll destroy the harvester," she said with finality.

XXX

"Calm down Carth," Mission said softly to the agitated Republic Captain.

Carth had spent the last half hour pacing up and down the interior of the dressing room before the airlock. The station's jamming signals kept him from contacting Rachel and that made him worry. His imagination had been playing horrible scenes before his eyes since the moment she left. Bastila and Juhani assured him that they would be able to sense if something happened to her. That still didn't stop him for imagining her dead, ripped apart by the Selkath or the sharks or some other horrible fate

All he had to do know was wait for Rachel to recover the star map and make her way back. As soon as she did that they could make a b-line for the subs and HK and Canderous. He had heard from them several minutes ago and they were holding their ground.

"Any activity Zaalbar," he called to the Wookiee who kept watch at the door. He had to do something to get his mind off Rachel.

Zaalbar shook his shaggy head and returned to watching the door his bowcaster held at the ready.

Finding an open section of wall he sat down resting his head. Moments later Mission came over and sat down next to him, "She's gonna be alright. You know that right," Mission said, "She always does she's… well… Rachel," the young girl explained as if that was everything.

She had a point Carth admitted. Rachel always seemed to come out of situations alive if slightly worse for wear. She'd survived everything she had faced so far Mandalorians, Sith Marines and troopers, Gang thugs, Dark Jedi, Tusken raiders and even a Krayt Dragon. What her the odds that a handful of mad Selkath could kill her?

Carth shook his head, "I'll always worry about her. That will never stop. I…," he paused unsure how much he wanted to admit to the girl, "I love her Mission."

Mission smiled from 'ear to ear', "I'm happy for you and her. Rachel's… Rachel's kinda like the mother I never had. I happy she's happy... she deserves it."

Smiling Carth had to agree. He'd seen Mission and Rachel interact and she seemed the only one, perhaps other than himself, who Rachel lost her edge with. By his own observations he believed that Rachel had maternal feelings for the girl as well.

"Thank you Mission," he finally said wrapping his arm around the Twi'lek's shoulder.

XXX

The harvester was a machine of gigantic proportions. Rachel stood at the control panel and beyond her the giant Frixan Shark swam. Rachel couldn't help but have the feeling that it was observing her actions.

Activating the console she, using the protocols the scientists gave her, override the safeties and set the hydraulic pressure to dangerous levels. She only had to wait about seventy seconds before the first tremors rocked the harvester and before long the first explosion occurred. It didn't take long after that before the entire harvester was destroyed and tumbled into the ocean canyon.

The giant shark seemed to watch the destruction of the harvester with great interest then turned to face Rachel. Rachel swore she felt a feeling of approval before it swum off into the blackness of the ocean.

Rachel watched the shark go with a feeling of relief. Once it was gone she noticed that the strangeness that she and the other Jedi had felt in the Force dissipated. Across from the console she felt the dark presence that signaled the Star Map.

Crossing the small sliver of land that separated the dark abyss of ocean canyon Rachel addled across in her cumbersome environmental suit. The Map was like the ones she'd previously found. As she approached the Star Map split along the seams, releasing a cascade of bubbles, and revealed the ancient map.

Rachel recorded the coordinates held within the artifact and made a b-line back to her team.

XXX

Darth Bandon, Lord of the Sith and apprentice to the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Malak savagely tore through the dueling droids he was meant to train with. He should have been on his way to Manaan with a half-dozen Dark Jedi to secure Bastila and eradicate her companions.

Instead his Cruiser, _Execution_, was prowling the star lanes for his master was unwilling to risk the trade agreements for the kolto Manaan exported. His orders from his Master was to wait till the Jedi made their next move towards either Korriban or Kashyyykand lay a trap for them.

He didn't like it and would have argued with his Master, if the punishment wasn't immediate death. No one challenged Lord Malak and lived to tell the tale. He would have to curb his bloodlust and follow orders… for now at least.

Secretly he dreamed of overthrowing Malak and claiming lordship over the Sith Empire for himself, but for the moment that was beyond him. Malak had powers far beyond him and the nominal loyalty of the military. Plus Malak had the Star Forge and that was all to make Bandon stay his hand.

Bandon believed that Bastila would go to Kashyyyk before the Sith stronghold of Korriban so he ordered his ship closer to Kashyyyk accordingly.

XXX

Rachel never believe that she would ever be relieved to step foot inside the Republic Embassy. The ambassador had been outraged over the loss of his facility and dumbfounded when she told him about the Giant Shark. However at least he understood the reason she did what she did and in the end he even agreed with her.

After a heartfelt desire to never see each other again Rachel and her team parted ways with the ambassador. Everything was going great until they stepped out of the embassy and found themselves face to face with a couple squads of the Selkath constabulary led but of all people detectives 'grouchy and grumpy.'

Rachel sighed too tired to put up with this, "What the hell do you want."

Grouchy pointed a flipper at her, "We've detected several unexplained disturbances by the Hrakert Rift and traced you submersible back to the embassy. You will come with his," and to reinforce his point he drew his side-arm blaster.

"Suggestion: Master can we please slaughter these meatbags and simply fight our way out. It would be less completed and I have killed anything in over a half hour."

For a moment Rachel envisioned unleashing the power of the Force on these creatures and slaughtering her way through the city until she reached her ship. Instead she held out her hands, "Shall we do this again boys?"

"Take her," Grumpy said, "Leave the rest."

Her team started to protest but she waved them off, "I'll be back don't worry."

As she was being led away she swore she heard Carth say, "You'd damn well better be."

XXX

Rachel stood before the High Court of Manaan and was once again to her supreme discomfort wearing a Force Suppression collar.

"Padawan Rachel Skirta," the lead judge said through a protocol droid, "Our sensors have detected several explosions in the vicinity of the Hrakert rift. We have evidence that that you and your team were not only present in the area but were recorded leaving the area shortly after. I must say your actions reflect poorly on your Order. "

"Kolto is our most valuable resource," the second judge shouted, "anything action that threatens the kolto is punishable by death."

"What do you have to say for yourself, Jedi," the third snarled.

Rachel had been thinking the same thing. BSing her way through like the first time obviously wouldn't work and with the collar on she couldn't very well escape this many guards. So Rachel finally decided on telling the truth, "I was investigating a mining facility set up by the Republic and elements of your own government.

"What kind of nonsen-," the third judge started by was cut off by the first.

"We know of this," the first said calmly.

"What," the third said his eye's nearly buldging, "This cannot be kept silent the council…," he started but was cut off by the first who threatened to have him disbarred.

"What caused these explosions human," second asked his eyes hard, 'What have you done?"

"The machinery woke up a giant shark," she said with her arms crossed. However the moment she said it she noticed something interesting. The judges paled and looked nervously back and forth between each other.

"A giant firxan," the third said apparently forgetting he'd just been threatened, "Could it be?"

"Impossible its only a legend," the first said but he didn't look or sound very convincing.

"But she said he killed it… didn't she ," the second growled throwing a hate filled glare at Rachel who was studying the byplay with great interest.

"You killed the shark human," the first asked.

Rachel shook her head, "I drove it away by destroying the harvester, "Somehow it drove everyone mad."

"The Progenitor," the third said almost giddy now.

The first threw long suffering looks at his fellow judges, "It's just a myth," he repeated more for himself than the others, Rachel thought.

The Judges went into a conversation. Apparently the shark was some short of ancient ancestor of their species. After realizing that she had saved it when she could have killed it they profusely thanked her and dismissed the charges. They also promised that she would have the unofficial support of Manaan if she ever needed it.

For Rachel she couldn't have been gladder to get away.

XXX

_Coruscant Medical Journal, On Kolto_

_Kolto__ was a liquid known for its healing abilities. It was found in the water of the oceanic planet Manaan, with a significant concentration near the Hrakert Rift along with other underwater chasms. It was considered a valuable commodity during the Jedi Civil War, but its significance was lost over time, being replaced in favor of bacta_

_The most common application of kolto was through complete submersion in a kolto tank. A patient would remain inside the tank, completely submerged in a solution of kolto, until their wounds were healed. During its peak, kolto tanks could be found aboard Republic starships, inside government buildings and in medical facilities. The concentration of kolto could be tailored to the patient, allowing for different solutions to be input._

_Kolto was also one of the primary components of a medpac during the Jedi Civil War.__Small amounts of the liquid could be placed in the medpac and easily carried or transported. Therefore, the amount of kolto was usually not substantial, so it functioned primarily as a first aid supplement_

_During the time between the Jedi Civil War and the Galactic Civil War, the production of kolto suffered substantially and the value escalated. With the cost of kolto so high, the market for it collapsed in favor of a less expensive alternative: bacta. The reason for the sharp decline of kolto production is unknown and was hotly contested in academic circles. Nevertheless, the economy of Manaan collapsed and kolto became almost completely forgotten_.

Someone made a comment that my Revan is Mary Sueish and "she seems to know a bit about everything and has little if no limitations." My counterargument would be Revan is one of the most powerful characters in Star Wars up there with Vader, the Emperor and Luke.

Master Zhar said referring to Revan, "Your potential is unlimited."

Canderous is quoted, "You, Revan, are the single greatest warrior of this age, and any battle we fight will bring me honor," and "Her (referring to Revan) strategies and tactics defeated the best of us. Even Mandalore himself was taken aback by the ferocity of her attacks, the tenacity of her defenses and the subtlety of her plans."

One of her former Jedi teachers Kreia even said, "Revan was Power. It was like starring into the Heart of the Force."

Revan was Power? Like starring into the Heart of the Force? That statement suggests Revan was on a level of power at least an order of magnitude above everyone else. Also Revan was one of the most skilled fighters in the galaxy. She single handily slew Mandalore the Ultimate who in order to hold his title must be the greatest warrior among an already great warrior race. She slew the famed Echani General Yusanis and would later go on to kill Darth Malak, a famed General and Jedi in his own right, both in one-on-one duels.

As for Revan knowing a little bit of everything consider what she has been through. Before she was out of her teens she led a large fraction of the Jedi Order against the commands of her own Order's High Council to fight for the Republic. She then convinced said Republic to give her command of an army and fleet which she promptly lead to victory after victory against the Mandalorians. After achieving final victory she managed to unravel the mystery of the Star Forge and convince her armies to follow her in a new war against the very same people they had previously served. In order to accomplish that she would have to be beyond brilliant: she'd have to be a tactical and strategic mastermind.

I would also argue that she doesn't know everything just what is useful to her specific field. A correlation to this would be Sir Arthur Connan Doyle's character Sherlock Holmes. In one book Dr. Watson subsequently assesses Holmes's abilities thus:

Knowledge of Literature — Nothing.

Knowledge of Philosophy — Nothing.

Knowledge of Astronomy — Nothing.

Knowledge of Politics — Feeble.

Knowledge of Botany — Variable. Well up in belladonna, opium and poisons generally. Knows nothing of practical gardening.

Knowledge of Geology — Practical, but limited. Tells at a glance different soils from each other. After walks, has shown me splashes upon his trousers, and told me by their color and consistence in what part of London he had received them.

Knowledge of Chemistry — Profound.

Knowledge of Anatomy — Accurate, but unsystematic.

Knowledge of Sensational Literature — Immense. He appears to know every detail of every horror perpetrated in the century.

Plays the violin well.

Is an expert singlestick player, boxer and swordsman.

Has a good practical knowledge of British law.

Revan is skilled in the arts of War, Strategy, Politics, Mechanics, she built HK-47 after, and the Force she had little knowledge of most other subjects outside of what she needs to wage war and rule an Empire.


	11. Chapter 10: Kashyyyk, Death's Door

**Chapter 10: Kashyyyk, Death's Door**

_Revan and Malak had penetrated into the darkest, deepest part of the world encompassing forest on Kashyyyk having narrowly survived hordes of savage creatures and at least one man-eating plant. _

_Revan sat on the ground leaning up against the trunk of a massive, towering wroshyr tree. She was in the process of thumping the sole of her boot in an attempt to remove a single stubborn rock. Finally once it fell out she replaced her boot on her foot and laced it up_

"_We're nearly there Revan. Can you feel the power in this place," Malak said a hint of euphoria in his voice. The all pervasive power of the Dark Side swirling through the Shadowlands was affecting him far more than her._

_She opened her mouth but suddenly closed again when she felt a slight tremor in the Force. Stretching out with her senses she located a single man, "You can come out," Revan called out her hand drifting to one of her lightsabers._

"_Easy lass," a wrinkled, dark-skinned, balding man called out as he emerged from the woods his hands slightly raised in a nonthreatening manner. _

_Malak lit his own saber and held it not quite pointing it at the man while Rachel merely kept her hand at her side just touching her saber, "Who the hell are you," Malak growled._

_The man 'pulled up a stump' and sat down, "Jolee… Jolee Bindo is my name."_

_Revan blinked, "Jolee Bindo," she repeated, "As in… 'Pulling a Bindo."_

"_That's me," Jolee grumbled the way old men did when they wished someone wouldn't remember something, "If I may ask for your names."_

"_I'm Revan," she said gesturing to herself, "and this is Malak."_

_The old man suddenly looked far more interested, "Ahh the famed Generals Revan and Malak. What brings you to my neck of the wood… surely it's not for the fauna or the view." _

_Revan coolly regarded him, "I'm not sure how it's your business."_

_Jolee splayed his hands out in front of him, "I have lived in this part of the Shadowlands for many years. I'm sure I can help you find whatever it is you're looking for."_

_Wily Revan added , " As well as learn our purpose for being here," she shook her head, "we can find what we seek on our own," she paused before nodding her head slightly , "Thank you for your offer."_

_Jolee frowned, "It's as I feared you're here for the device."_

_Revan controlled her expressions and didn't give anything away, however that same couldn't be said for Malak. Rubbing the bridge of her nose in frustration she sighed, "Yes we're looking for a very old ruin."_

_The old man laughed a cold chuckle, "We both know it's more than that," he said crossing his arms over his chest, "I won't stand in your way however I will deliverer a word of warning. Take care that in the process of fighting your war you do not become that which you seek to destroy."_

_Revan felt anger well up in her at the thought that this Jedi who had run and hide would lecture her. Standing up she pinned the old man with a withering glare, "Keep your advice to yourself," and she stormed off with Malak in tow._

_After a good half hour of walking they came across what they had come to this to find; the Star Map._

_XXX_

"We're coming out of hyperspace," Carth said as he manipulated the controls on the _Ebon Hawk_. The _Hawk _shuttered for a moment before it reverted to realspace and the green-blue, though mostly green, orb that was the Wookiee Homeworld of Kashyyyk hung in the void before it.

Rachel blinked herself awake and leaned forward in the co-pilot's chair. Resting her hand on Carth's shoulder, "Alright bring us in," she commanded and then paused closing her eyes and concentrating. Reaching out with all her might in the Force she scanned the planet searching for that familiar dark locus in the Force.

"Land on the southern continent," Rachel said having found the locus she was looking for, "I'll gather the team."

XXX

The Ebon Hawk gently set down on one of the landing decks of Kashyyyk's many tree top cities. Unlike most civilized species the citizens of Kashyyyk built their cities in and around the kilometer tall trees that made up a majority of their planet.

Rachel stepped off the ramp onto the wooden platform on which the _Ebon Hawk_ sat. Looking over the edge Rachel soon wished she didn't. She couldn't even see the bottom of the forest it just seemed to go on and on forever.

"Watch that first step," she muttered under her breath, "it's a doozy."

"What'd you say," Carth called out from behind her as he walked towards her, "I didn't quite… make…," he said with pause interrupting his sentence as he looked over the edge. Whistling he continued, "That's a long way down."

"It is indeed so if you will please be careful. Czerka Corporation will not be responsible for any personal damages incurred during your stay," an Ithorian in a Czerka Corp uniform said coming up to the platform on which the Hawk was parked.

His presence caught Rachel off guard she hadn't expected to meet anyone other than Wookiees and especially not a Czerka rep, "But alas where are my manners. Welcome to Eden."

"Eden," Rachel said throwing a confused glance at Zaalbar who was glaring at the rep with unbridled hate, "I thought the planet's name was Kashyyyk?"

The rep waved his arm in dismissal, "The name the local savages have for the planet. Eden was chosen from a selection of names by stockholders."

"What's your purpose here," Rachel asked crossing her arms.

{They're slavers,} Zaalbar growled angrily.

Rachel sighed. She had a feeling that was the answer she was going to get. She ran her hand over her face. Mandalorians didn't as a culture disapprove of slavery, but slavery in Mandalorian culture was different than in others. Mandalorians made slaves of defeated enemies that weren't worthy of assimilation and undeserving of death. Accordingly Mandalorian slaves were more often than not were worked to death serving the Mandalorian war effort or used in live fire practice.

In response to the Wookiee's anger the Ithorian flinched, "Keep your pet on a leash…," he stammered, "I warn any damages he does you will be held liable for."

Rachel shook her head, "He not my slave. He owes me a life debt."

The Ithorian scratched the left side of his 'hammer' shaped head, "An interesting means of control… if you can arrange it."

{Do not demean the life-debt,} Zaalbar roared this time making a move towards the small alien, but Rachel's hand on his shoulder restrained him from any further action.

"Watch yourself," Rachel warned her voice ice-cold , "Or I may not be able to control him."

They haggled over the docking fee for a bit before Rachel paid, all the time throwing covert glances at Zaalbar gauging his anger. As predicted he was still fuming.

Finally Rachel decided to go all in and ask the big question, "How is it that you manage to sell Wookiee slaves without them rising up against you. There must be millions… after all this is there homeworld."

The Ithorian shifted his weight not wanting to answer so Rachel repeated her question this time bringing the Force to bear.

A glazed look game over the alien's eyes as he answered, "Czerka Coperation has entered into an arrangement with the predominant Wookiee Chieftain who goes by the name of Chundar. He provides Czerka with an ample and steady supply of slaves and in return we supply him with weaponry he uses to maintain power."

"Well isn't that just wonderful," Carth muttered shaking his head.

As soon as the name Chundar passed the rep's mouth Zaalbar let loose a mournful sigh. Rachel set the rep on his way and turned to Zaalbar, "You know this… Chundar?"

Zaalbar looked around and Rachel could tell this was painful for him but he eventually answered, {I didn't exactly leave Kashyyyk willingly. You see Chundar is my brother. When I learned he was selling our people… I… I lost it and attacked him… with my claws,} he said looking down at his claws shakily.

Rachel frowned not understanding, "I don't understand. If your claws are the only weapon available why not use them?"

Zaalbar shook his massive shaggy head, {Our claws,} he said holding up both his paws and extending ten curved and wickedly sharp claws before sheathing them, {are not weapons; they're tools, Rachel tools. To use them in battle is to become an animal. It is madness without honor. It is to be forever branded a madclaw.}

Carth swore under his breath and Rachel couldn't say she felt any differently. Even though she wasn't nearly as close to Zaalbar as she was to Mission, she still considered him a friend and didn't like to see him hurting.

Reaching up and in a calming gesture Rachel placed her hand on the Wookiee's massive furry shoulder, "I know this isn't what you want to hear but we may need your brother's help to find the map, unless…," she paused, "You can get us down into the shadowlands."

Zaalbar growled an extremely reluctant, no, and Rachel could very well understand his reluctance. Then a unpleasant thought popped into her mind, "Have you told Mission yet," Rachel asked and the Wookiee fell silent and looked away.

Sighing Rachel ran her hand through her hair, "You should tell her yourself. She deserves to hear it from you and not someone else."

{Your right Rachel,} Zaalbar growled sadly threw a glance back at the ship.

XXX

After securing the ship the team made their way through the docking area towards the Wookiee village. The greeting they received from the half-dozen armed Wookiee guards was less than cordial. The guards escorted them through the Wookiee treetop village and towards a massive hall.

The Hall of Chieftains as Zaalbar called it was quite a sight. The nearly hundred-yard great hall was filled with mounted trophies of Kashyyyk's more ferocious indigenous life forms , a enormous table that looked like it could seat an whole army and at the far end the hall sat gilded throne on which sat an average sized Wookiee with black fur.

{Step forward and address the mighty Chundar outsider}, the Wookiee growled sitting up his throne, {I don't often meet with visitors of your kind.}

The first thing Rachel and everyone else noticed was that the Wookiee was surrounded by Czerka guards. Zaalbar looked at the guards with barely restrained hatred before scoffing, {You are flanked by these Czerka slavers,} he said harshly, {Are they not outsiders? Or have you sold all of Kashyyyk to them?}

{Brother,} Chundar said his fangs barred, {you have been gone… exiled,} he said the last word with particular relish; {You shouldn't speak in that tone. Things are different now. {You,} he continued pointing a paw at Zaalbar, {are a mad-claw without honor and I… I am Chieftain,} he finished leaning back in his throne.

"A chieftain propped up by Czerka," Rachel said dryly sending a pointed look to the Czreka security personal flanking the throne, "Ya know the problem with being a puppet king… is that you only get to rule as long as you're useful. The moment you're not, well…," she trailed off as she made a slicing gesture across her throat.

Chundar roared angrily and burst up from this throne, {I am no puppet,} as he moved towards Rachel. He made it about a foot before he stopped suddenly as if he ran into a wall. His face twitched in confusion before he began to choke.

Wordlessly Rachel held up her hand showing that her thumb and forefinger were about an inch apart. She squeezed a little bit and Chundar's eyes began to bug out before Rachel released him from her unseen grip, "Be careful when you choose your enemies Chundar. They may be more powerful than you."

Letting her hands drift to her sides she rested her hands on her lightsabers drawing Chundar's and everyone else's eyes to the weapons hanging on her belt, "My name's Rachel Skirta."

Chundar eyed her warily as he rubbed his throat. His guards were equally wary, {It won't matter what you say Jedi, my people won't believe you. I've had a long time to guide their thoughts}, looking around he seemed to draw strength from the armed Czerka presence, {They trust me. They trust the wise and mighty Chundar. Even with my brother insane and our father enslaved, I rose to protect my people despite it all.}

Zaalbar looked more confused than Chundar did a moment ago, {Father enslaved? The "Mighty Chundar?" What are you talking about? You were the runt!}

{I'm no runt,} Chundar roared angrily.

Rachel let out a small chuckle his defensiveness was almost damming in itself. It came from years of denying it and was almost instinctive. The denial made it that more likely to be true.

Suddenly Chundar seemed to realize that as well and Rachel would have sworn that if he had been human he would be blushing, {Like I said Zaalbar. A lot… a lot has changed in your years in… exile,} again he seemed to savior reminding his Zaalbar of that, {but we'll discuss that soon enough.}

"You want something," Rachel concluded seeing where this was going. Thing were never simple she thought with a shake of her head.

Chundar reached behind his throne and with drew a massive twin bladed sword. As he did his guards aimed their own weapons prompting a standoff as Zaalbar, Mission, Canderous and Carth raised their blasters while the Jedi ignited their sabers.

{I haven't killed Zaalbar yet because he is my brother. I had hoped we could come to an… arrangement,} Chundar growled gesturing at him with his sword, {You,} he continued this time gesturing at Rachel, {you are irrelevant.}

That stung. Rachel felt a muscle in her jaw twitched and she tightened her grip on her sabers. The urge to kill Chundar and all his henchmen was extremely strong; however she realized that even she couldn't kill all them before they got at least a few shots off.

"Let's just settle down," Bastila said slowly, "This need not escalate to violence."

Reluctantly Rachel had to agree shutting down her sabers while still keeping her Force senses heightened, "What do you want?"

Chundar gave a nod and his guards lowered their weapons, {Another Wookiee has suffered Zaalbar's fate and now lurks in the Shadowlands. More importantly he's pestering my Czerka allies and needs… to be put down.}

An assassination… well that wasn't anything she hadn't done in the commandos and besides it got her into the Shadowlands and one step closer to the Star Map, "Fine," she ground out and turned to Zaalbar, "Do you know your way around the Shadowlands?"

But before he could answer Chundar interfered, {No Zaalbar will stay here to insure your return. This non-negotiable.}

Rachel pointed a finger threateningly at the Wookiee, "I won't forget this Chundar. If anything happens to Zaalbar this won't end well for you," then turning to her team she added let's get a move on."

"No uhna no way," Mission said with a violent shake of her head, "I ain't leaving Big Z here if he stay I stay… and I won't change my mind."

"Everyone's telling me what to do today," Rachel muttered under her breath.

"I'll stay as well," Juhani said before Rachel could add anything else.

"Thank you," Rachel said not wanting to leave Mission alone. She paused before adding, "HK will stay too… just in case."

After the goodbyes were exchanged Rachel pulled HK over to have a private chat.

"Interrogative: You wish to speak with me master," the assassin droid said in its cheery voice.

"Yeah… yeah," Rachel took a long look at Mission before addressing the droid again, "watch her like a hawk HK. If that bastard hurts her at all I want you to kill him in the most painful way imaginable," she paused, "get creative."

"Somber Statement: I understand the master has what meatbags call 'maternal feelings' for the blue meatbag. The loss of the blue meatbag would be considered a great loss to the master and potentially damaging to her mental stability," the droid paused, "I would prefer a sane master."

"Yeah something like that," Rachel admitted.

With that finished the team headed out of the Wookie village back towards the _Hawk _to collect the some extra equipment before attempting a journey into the part of Kashyyyk even the Wookiees feared.

XXX

Chundar sat upon his throne in a heated argument with the leader of his Czerka security detail.

"I'm not sure that was the wisest thing to do," the head guard said, "sending the Jedi into a trap."

{You worry too much,} Chundar replied waving him off.

"What if it fails," he said, "and the Jedi come back."

Chundar threw an annoyed look at his head of security, {You think the Sith Lord would be merciful if we didn't send them or warned them off? }

The man shook his head seeing the Chieftains point.

XXX

Rachel, Carth, Canderous and Bastila stood at the edge of one of Kashsyyk's treetop platforms. In preparation for their decent into the darkest deeps of Kashyyyk Rachel and Canderous were suited up in their Mandalorian battle armor while Carth wore fatigues and a 'flak jacket.' Bastila was the only one who turned down any kind of jungle gear instead she chose to stay with her Jedi robes.

Rachel came to the elevator, gave it a good look and said, "You gotta be fracking kidding me."

The elevator was made completely out of wood and was being held up by a complex system of pulleys and what looked like vines. Still it looked like something made in a secondary school shop.

"We're gonna ride that," Carth said looking slightly nervous.

"What's the matter the flyboy," Canderous challenged, "'fraid of heights."

Carth gave him a hard glare, "Of course not I used to be a fighter pilot, remember. I don't have a problem with heights," he said as he looked over the edge, "I just have a problem falling from them."

The two Wookiees assigned to lower them to down to into the Shadowlands were staring at them with two parts distaste and one part curiosity, {The elevator is sound it will not fail,} one said while the other spat out something Rachel didn't quite catch; needless to say it didn't sound flattering.

"I'm sure it is," Bastila said coming to the front in an attempt to play the peacemaker, "Unlock it and we'll be on our way."

The second Wookiee grumbled something again and this time Rachel caught a little bit of it… something about outsiders not belonging in the Shadowlands. Zaalbar had said something about the Shadowlands being important before but they never got far into the conversation.

"What so important about the Shadowlands," Rachel asked crossing her arms over her chest.

The pair grumbled again talking softly to one another before the first finally chose to answer, {The shadowlands are the fiercest part of Kashyyyk; it's a place where only the strongest of the strong can survive. It's the place where the great chieftain Bacca found the strength to unite the Wookiees.}

Rachel felt something stir inside her and was sure Canderous did as well. The shadowlands were to the Wookies what Dxun was to the Mandalorians the very embodiment of their way of life; to struggle through the pain and the terror of a hostile environment and to thrive regardless.

"I understand," Rachel said softly, and she meant it, "it's a place where every day is a struggle; where the only victory is survival."

The Wookiees grumbled eyeing her warily and Rachel had the feeling that if it had been up to them they wouldn't necessarily throw her over the edge and hoped for the worst… right away. Hesitantly the Wookiee eventually did unlatch the crane, {Get in,} he growled, {and try not to move so much.}

"Why," Rachel, Carth Canderous and Bastila asked nearly in unison.

The Wookiee blinked looking back and forth between them before answering with a savage grin, {You'll attract attention. Attention you won't like.}

Rachel and her team boarded the wooden elevator, flashed a 'go head' signal and the Wookiee unlocked the system and slowly lowered them into the abyss.

XXX

"By the nine hells," Darth Bandon cursed as he slashed at another charging katarn, a man sized reptilian creature with razor sharp claws and a whip like body, bisecting the creature in two. He had taken a platoon of Sith Marines and five Dark Jedi down to this world to lay a trap for Bastila and her companions and at the time it had seemed like overkill.

However three days in this hellhole had whittled down his forces from the original platoon strength of forty-two marines and five Dark Jedi to thirteen marines and two Dark Jedi. Bandon had though that nothing could have been more dangerous than Korriban. He was wrong.

Every living creature in this jungle seemed hunger for blood, from vicious four-legged lizards to the foliage. A low growl came from above causing everyone to ready their weapons. Bandon did some growling and snarling of his own as he stretched out his hand and unleashed a torrent of Force Lightening into the creature.

"Everyone fan out," he ordered drawing his double-bladed saber and reaching out with his senses. Previous experience had taught that these beasts attacked in packs and swarms. He sensed nearly two dozen beasts and something else… extending his senses even further he felt a blind source of power and it was getting closer.

It must be the Jedi he realized and he was running out of time.

XXX

In all honesty the elevator ride was one of the creepiest things she ever been on. The entire ride she couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Both Canderous and Carth had their weapons shouldered and were scanning the area.

"Don't like this one bit," Canderous said moving his rifle back and forth, "we're sitting ducks out here."

"I gotta agree," Carth responded looking over his shoulder, "how much longer till we hit bottom."

Rachel leaned over the edge of the elevator, "Few minutes," she estimated as she could see the bottom. When the elevator touched the ground the team carefully and cautiously got. Taking her sabers from her belt she ordered, "Stay frosty."

Bastila gave her a strange look, "Frosty ?"

It was Rachel's turn to give Bastila a strange look until she realized that she didn't understand the military parlance, "Stay alert," Rachel explained with a sigh.

"Oh," the Jedi said nodding her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, "of course."

This place reminded her of Dxun Rachel realized and that sent shivers down her spine. Dxun had been the most horrid experience of her life. Month after month of stalking through jungles filled with some of the most vicious creatures in existence.

"Hold up," Rachel said as she felt a tremor in the Force, "we're not alone. Bastila to you feel it?"

After closing her eyes and adopting a look of intense concentration she eventually nodded, "A Dark Jedi and close."

"How close," Carth said concerned his grip tensing on his pistols as his eyes darted around.

"Close enough," she said thinking, "All right here's the plan," she said kneeling down and making a small map about of twigs and rocks. There was equipment that could create holographic maps but the commandos stilled use dirt… it somehow made it seem more real.

"All right here's the plan," Rachel said drawing it out on her 'map', "Me and Bastila are gonna conceal our Force presence best we can, that should get them to investigate," she explained, "Canderous you got mines," she questioned of the big Mandalorian.

"You bet."

"Good," it would have made things a lot harder without them, "we're going to plant a row of mines here and… here," she said pointing to positions on the map where she thought they could do the most damage, "Canderous, Carth you're gonna take positions on either side of the path and the moment the mines go off I want you to open up."

Carth and Canderous both nodded as they studied Rachel's plan with rapt attention. As they did Bastila asked, "Rachel in this plan of yours I have yet to hear what you and I will do?"

"Very good Bastila you were paying attention," Rachel said dryly peeved at being interrupted, "You and I have to fight the Dark Jedi… to draw them away from whatever troops they've brought with them."

"What makes you think they'll bring soldiers," Carth inquired, "Why just not send Dark Jedi."

Rachel mulled over the answer before finally shrugging, "It's what I'd do."

Bastila starred at her looking like she wanted to argue but Canderous interrupted, "All right people let's get to work," he said as he pulled several mines out of his pack and laid them on the ground.

"Nice," Rachel cooed. They had mostly anti-personal fragmentation mines of various sizes and grades. Now it was time to lay their trap.

XXX

To say Darth Bandon was pissed was a severe understatement. The Force presence he'd been tracking just disappeared or had reduced itself so much that he could no longer sense it. The last thought enraged him further. He was a Lord of the Sith, apprentice to the Dark Lord of the Sith. That someone could conceal themselves from his senses was a hateful thought.

The formation they traveled in was simple enough. A pair of Marines took point and the rest surrounded the Dark Force users.

Suddenly Bandon's Force sense flared, the area into which they had just walked was strangely dampened, "Be on your guard. Something is…"

_Click_

The sound came from beneath a marine three meters to Darth Bandon's right. Everyone froze at the sounding knowing exactly what it was… but only for a moment as the mine leapt from the ground waist high and exploded. The hapless marine was already diving out of the way when the mine exploded but it was too little too late.

The first detonation also set off a chain reaction that triggered all the others. Plus the moment the mines went off a hail of blaster fire erupted from the tree lines. The surviving marines despite their shock and surprise were well trained and immediately began to regroup and return fire.

The moment the mine went off Bandon had thrown up a Force shield to protect himself from the worst of the blast as did one of the Dark Jedi. The other had been too slow and had paid for it with his life as he was now lying in the dirt with a ten centimeter piece of metal protruding from his head.

Bandon pulled his double-bladed saber from his belt and batted away the few blaster bolts aimed at him. Suddenly he was thrown off his feet and flew several feet in the air. Using the Force he managed to right himself so he could land on his feet. He managed to bring his saber up just in time to block a follow up attack by an armored figure. At the moment it didn't matter who she was; what mattered was that she was extraordinarily fast and powerful.

The first thought that had jolted through his mind when he saw the armored figure was that Darth Revan had returned. Though he quickly realize that first thought was irrational it scarred him to the bone.

XXX

The moment the mine detonated Rachel emerged from her hiding place and threw a powerful wave of Force energy at the first Dark Jedi she saw. Then using the Force to propel her she leapt towards him sabers ready. Landing she slashed at the Sith but he managed get his own blade up just in time to avoid being bisected.

The Sith opened his mouth to shout out something but Rachel didn't let him as she pressed her attack. Spinning her blades in a beautiful flurry of strikes both high and low Rachel took the initiative and forced the Sith to retreat. In the opening moments of the duel Rachel realized that she was the better duelist.

Rachel came in low slashing at his ankles causing him to back flip out of range. The moment he landed he collected himself and threw a wave of Force lightening at her. For all its power Force lighting was easy to sense coming. The air tingled with static electricity and suddenly became chillier as the Sith drew from the darkest depths of the Force to summon the lightening.

The blue-white bolts leapt from his fingers and streamed through the air towards Rachel, who raised both her sabers crossed in front of her and threw up a Force shield. The lightening slammed into the sabers and shield, deflecting in multiple directions.

Panting heavily the Sith said, "Who the hell are you," raising his saber to an en-guard. He looked around presumably for assistance; however he had to quickly realize that no help was coming. The few surviving marines were pinned down by fire and the other Dark Jedi was engaged in a fearsome fight with Bastila.

Rachel flourished her weapons and grinned beneath her T-visor helmet, "Name's Rachel," she said her voice coming out in an oddly mechanical fashion that the helmet's vocorder seemed to always produce. Slowly circling each other they probed each other's defensives looking for weakness before Rachel launched into a series of attack and feints.

A familiar grunt of pain echoed across the field and Bastila to Rachel's horror yelled, "Carth!" Momentarily her concentration slipped as she threw a glance in Carth's direction and sighed in relief when she saw that all he had was a singed arm from a near miss. However her relief was short lived as she realized the enormity of her error, for a brief slip of concentration was all her opponent needed.

The Sith Lord, using his saberstaff like a spear, skewered her right above her bellybutton, "Fracking bastard," Rachel said gritting her teeth in pain and shock.

After he pulled the saber out she felt to her knees and gingerly touched the wound. If it she hadn't been in so much pain she would have found it quite fascinating that she could see right through her stomach.

The Sith held one end of his saber at her neck and drew back for the finishing blow. He ironically had made the exact opposite of the mistake she just made. She had let her concentration slip while he had become too focused on his target and not aware of his surroundings.

He never saw the green bladed lightsaber that decapitate him.

XXX

Carth watched in horror as the dark cloaked Sith stabbed Rachel and she fell to the ground. The pain in his arm suddenly felt like nothing compared to the pain in his heart. Leaping from his cover he shot one of the last marines who drew a bead on him center of mass as he rushed towards Rachel.

He raised his blaster in a futile gesture to shoot the Sith, however before he could squeeze off a shot a green saber flew through the air decapitating said Sith, "Who the frack are you," Carth shouted following the saber back to its owner.

Its owner was a dark-skinned old man with balding grey-white hair and a goatee of similar color who was dressed in tattered old Jedi robes, "Hold on lad," he said holding his hands up nonthreateningly, "I'm not here to hurt you."

"Carth lower your weapons," Bastila said having defeated the Dark Jedi she was dueling, "He's a Jedi."

"Not quite," he said with a roll of his eyes, "but I can help your friend."

Carth felt a muscle in his jaw twitch as he sent a glance over to Rachel's prone form. Holstering his weapons he gestured, "Go!"

Rushing over to Rachel's side he fell to his knees wincing as he saw the wound in her abdomen, "Come on Rachel you can make it… don't give up now." He couldn't lose her was his only though as he gingerly pulled her helmet off. Her hair was matted with sweat, she was bleeding slightly from her mouth but her eyes were open and to his relief she sighed, a pained sigh as it was but it was a clear sign she was still alive, "Frack it hurts."

The other Jedi knelt down next to her and examined her injuries, "Its bad," he admitted, "not too bad. I should be able to help her. We need to get her to my home."

"Which way," Carth asked hurriedly straining as he scooped up Rachel in his arms. Though she only weighed about a hundred and fifty pounds her armor added another fifty pound or so. Normally Carth could have lifted the weight with little difficulty but his wound on his arm from a near miss acted up.

Canderous must have seen his struggle as he slung his blaster cannon over his shoulder and took Rachel from him. The big Mandalorian didn't even grunt as he held the woman in his arms.

"Come on," the old man said, "It's just a little ways down that way."

As they began to move Carth turned to the new man and asked, "Who are you?"

"Jolee Bindo."

_XXX_

Rachel let out a grunt off pain as Canderous plopped her on the table. She gave Canderous a pained glare afterward. Her whole abdomen felt like it was fire and his jarring wasn't helping at all.

Carth was standing next to her gripping her hand so hard that if she wasn't in her armor she was sure he would have broken it. Nonetheless his concern for her was touching.

Jolee came in with a cup filled with a foul smelling liquid, "Drink this," he said holding it to her lips.

Rachel raised her eyebrow, "What-," she gritted through the pain, "What is it."

Jolee looked exasperated, "It's a medicine made out of local plants and herbs. It contains antibiotics and antivirals. It will also put you out so I can clean the wound."

"Fine," She said and drank the disgusting liquid, "How long it this… whoa," she interrupts herself mid-sentence, "that's some," she says slurring her words and letting her head fall back on the table, "strong stuff."

Her eyes began hard to open and it became even harder to think… slowly she shut her eyes and surrender to the blissful darkness.

_Revan blinked herself awake as she felt a cold breeze blow across her skin. As she awoke she prayed that she was having a nightmare and that she was really still in bed next to Malak.; however than wasn't the case. She was still hanging from the ceiling naked, except for the Force Suppression Collar around her neck, by her blood caked wrist._

_She groaned as her muscles ached. Her interrogators in addition to the beatings at positioned the chains around her wrists so that she couldn't rest her full weight on the ground. Revan tried to clear her head but found she was just too tired. She hadn't eaten or drunken anything since she'd been captured, which felt like weeks even though the logical part of her mind told her it couldn't have been more than three days._

_Revan hardly looked like she did when she first arrived. Her blonde hair was matted with blood and sweat and plastered to her back. Her right eye was black and swollen and she swore her nose was broken. Her body was bloody and bruised… but for Revan the worst of all her injuries was the one not quite as visible. Her thighs were bruised and blood encrusted from where her captors had…_

"_General," a Mandalorian wearing camouflaged fatigues entered breaking off her train of thought. Revan looked up and found herself looking at a middle-aged Mandalorian, though still in excellent shape, wearing a High Colonel's markings on his collar. To her relief the officer kept eye-contact and unlike her interrogators didn't stare lustfully at her body._

_Revan kept silent and again to her relief the man didn't brandish a weapon. He just stood there and fished a small metal object from his pocket. She tensed up but relaxed when she realized it was a key._

_Slowly he made his way over to her keeping his eyes locked with hers. Holding up the key he said, "If I unlock your shackles can I get your word of honor that you won't attack me?"_

"_I… I swear I won't attack you," Revan said finding it funny that he thought she was in any condition to assault him._

_He rolled the key in between his fingers like a Sacbacc player with a chip, "Swear by the Force." _

_Revan rolled her eyes, "I swear by the Force that I will not attack you… satisfied."_

_The man nodded, made his way over to her and unlocked her shackles catching her and easing her to the ground. The moment Revan hit the ground she scooted towards the corner and brought her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arm around herself._

_The Mandalorian turned his back to her, another surprise, and made his way to the faucet. This had been placed in her room and set to a trickle, psychological interrogation technique putting something she desperately needed just out of reach. _

_He took a cup from near the faucet and held it under the drip until it filled about halfway up. Then he brought over and held it out to her._

_Revan eyed the cup suspiciously before her thirst overcame her caution and she reached out and grabbed the cup and took several large gulps send icy liquid life cascading down her throat, "I'm not going to talk," she said when she was finished with the water._

_The Officer merely straightened up, "General," he started, "or may I call you Revan." If he expected an answer he was disappointed as she merely glared up at him, "General it is then. As it is General I don't want you to talk… I want you to listen."_

_Again Revan didn't say anything just coolly stared at the Mandalorian._

"_First off let me say it is quite an honor to meet you General your strategies at Malastare for example were quite brilliant," he said approvingly as he pulled off his jacket and tossed it to her so she could cover herself up._

_After pulling up the jacket she looked up confused at the Officer, "What do you want?" _

_He leaned forward, "Alright General I'll cut to the chase. While the fortune of war may have turned in your favor but your final victory is still in doubt. You know the Mandalore Sector is a deathtrap far worse than Dxun. We have millions of reserves in the wings and we both know you and Coruscant are on the outs."_

_Revan in that movement hated him more than Mandalore himself for she knew that every word he said was absolutely true. The senate had been stonewalling her for months. They feared her growing influence both militarily and politically. She had become famous as a result of her victories in the war… too famous as it turned out. She had been resupplied or reinforced since the siege of Dxun had begun. They wanted her to fail and that infuriated her._

"_If you succeed here and invade Mandalore Sector this war could continue on for decades," he continued and she knew he was right, "However General I have another way to end this war… end it in your favor."_

"_What," Revan said tilting her she was sure if she had heard right, "Your turning traitor? What about your precious honor?"_

_The officer shook his head, "Traitor? No General. You're a Mandalorian you know the laws of our people. We must be lead by the strongest among us and for decades Mandalore the Ultimate has been the strongest, but no more," he kneeled down so he was eye level with Revan, "you are responsible for this. You have weakened him , he is no longer the man he once was and the people lose faith in him."_

"_And you know this…,"Revan trailed off leaving the questioning hanging in the air._

"_Shouldn't a son know his father," he said softly _

_The moment he said it Revan felt her jaw drop. If he was Mandalore's son that made him her…_

_A small smile played across the man's face, "Ahh so they did tell you… I wasn't sure they would," he admitted sounding somewhat surprised. _

_A muscle twitched her in jaw, "My master… former master told me," she said glaring hard, "So you're my brother."_

_The man shrugged, "Half-brother actually we have different mothers. That goes to explain our difference in ages," he said with a small laugh, "but we're still blood."_

"_My brother," Revan mouthed, "I have a brother," and then her head snapped up, "Why are you here."_

"_I know what I am and I know what I'm not and I am not a leader. At least not of your caliber," he admitted, "You on the other hand are a general and commander of great renown. Respected throughout the galaxy by enemy and ally alike and where you are not liked you're at least feared."_

"_Yes so respected my interrogators raped me," Revan bit out harshly._

_A flash of rage crossed her brother's face, "They've been dealt with… most severely," he ground out._

"_How?"_

"_Let's just say people with be finding chunks of them in the forest for a long time," he said smiling savagely, "What they did violated every tenet of the codex."_

_Letting her own rage melt away Revan resigned herself, "Well brother what is it that you want from me."_

_He took a deep breath, "To become Mandalore."_

_XXX_

Carth sat watching as Jolee poked and prodded Rachel as she laid unconscious on the table. He had stripped Rachel of her armor and proceeded to cover her wound with some kind of plant leafy thing he said had regenerative properties.

Carth nearly had a heart attack when she stopped breathing but Jolee had explained he had just put her into a healing trance and she was breathing at an extremely slow rate. It had been nearly two hours since the old man had started and Carth hadn't moved an inch. Canderous and Bastila had been in a few times and Bastila had even helped with the healing.

Finally Jolee stopped his work and made his way over to Carth and sat down in one of the wooden chairs next to him, "She'll be fine lad. You should get yourself something to eat."

Waving him off he said, "No it's all right. I want to stay." He would stay as long as Rachel was here. He wasn't going to leave her, not now not ever.

The old man sighed and took a long look at Rachel before turning back to Carth, "You love her," it wasn't a question.

"I do," Carth admitted immediately. A part of him wondered why he revealed that piece of information before he decided he didn't care if people knew. He was in love with a beautiful, talented and fiery woman who was in love with him.

He expected Jolee to lecture him as Bastila didn't when she couldn't convince Rachel to end it. However to his surprise the old Jedi slapped him on the back, "Good for you. She'll need you… more than you know."

Jolee must have noticed his surprise because he added, "I told you when we first meet I'm not quite a Jedi."

"What's that supposed to mean," Carth asked quizzically. He'd always been told a Force user could detect another and Bastila had identified this man as a Jedi.

Jolee mulled about as if thinking how to word his reply, "I'm not a Jedi any longer. I left the Order a long time ago… you see we had a difference opinion the council and I."

"About what," he asked genially curious. Do the Jedi Order's nature outsiders rarely learned much about the inner-workings of the Order. What was common knowledge to the lowest padawan might be a secret to the Supreme Chancellor, the Galactic Senate and the highest officers of the armed services.

"Did you know that thirty years ago the Order wouldn't have objected to your and Rachel's relationship… hell," he snorted, "They probably would have supported it."

"Really? I though Jedi were supposed to be celibate," Carth recalling all he knew about the Jedi, which was admittedly limited to barroom conversations and shipboard scuttlebutt.

"No," Jolee said with a laugh, "Jedi… or at least today's Jedi aren't supposed to form attachments. You see," he said leaning back in his chair, "it all started with Exar Kun's war when Kun converted about a fifth of the Order to his cause. The council fearing another schism attempted to root it out at what they believed to be the cause of the problem… emotion."

"Emotion?"

"Yes," Jolee said with a nod, "and its reflected in the change to the Jedi Code, "There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force."

Carth at least knew that, he'd heard Bastila chanting it on occasion, "What was the original?"

"Oh yes," he said with a smile as if remembering better days, "The original version of the code stated: Emotion, yet peace. Ignorance, yet knowledge. Passion, yet serenity. Chaos, yet harmony. Death, yet the Force. You see the original Jedi Code acknowledges emotion in the Jedi's life and yet states that they must resist giving into them. The new code tries to ignore the very things that make us sentiments."

"That was the reason," Carth said knowingly, "that you left the Order."

"Part of it," he admitted before standing up, "Now I better go before I draw flies," he started to leave before turning back, "She'll be fine lad."

XXX

Bandon was dead. That much Malak knew for certain. He had felt in the Force his apprentice die the moment it happened; which meant he failed and she still lived. It was time to take matters into his matters into his own hands and deal with this matter personally.

In a fit of rage Malak slammed his fist into the durasteel wall of the observation deck. Blocking out the pain in his hand he stalked about the room. This was the one thing he hadn't wanted to do. It was the reason he betrayed her from afar. To fight and defeat her in single combat was as feat that still might be beyond him, despite the increase in his power. She'd always won their childhood duels and every tournament she ever entered.

The door to the observation deck slid open and in strode Admiral Karath. Karath approached the Dark Lord and knelt before him, "Lord Malak you summon me."

"Lord Bandon his dead," Malak started abruptly, "She still lives." Karath stayed quiet as Malak continued, "I need two cruisers… with loyal captains… loyal to me."

"The _Revenant_ and _Crucible_ have proven their loyalty more than once… If I may be so bold milord," the Admiral said cautiously, "what are you planning?"

Malak turned his back on the Admiral and stared out into the blue swirl of hyperspace, "Once she is finished on Kashyyyk there is but one place left for them to go… Korriban… it is the location of the last Star Map. There are three hyperlanes connecting Kashyyyk and Korriban take the _Revenant_, _Crucible _and the_ Leviathan_ and plant them in the middle of those lands ready to intercept any and all traffic."

Karath bowed his head, "Of course my lord it shall be done."

"Good," Malak said turning back to face the Admiral, "There is business at the front that requires my attention. You can contact me when you have something. Now have my shuttle prepped for launch."

XXX

_Entry from __**Revan's commentaries on the Mandalorian and Jedi Civil Wars**_

_Malachor… it's a name that still sends shivers down my spine. I not sure when I came to the decision about the battle or its aftermath. What we… what I… was about to do._

_Though under my leadership we had driven the Mandalorians from Republic space and most of the territories they conquered before the war broke out, the Mandalore Sector and planet Mandalore itself remained nigh unassailable fortress worlds. The most conservative calculations my staff came up with causalities ranging in the one to one and a half billion dead, wounded or missing for any attempted invasion of the Mandalore sector._

_However terrible the casualty figures would have been it would have been infinitely worse than to allow the Mandalorians time to rebuild and regroup. If we had simply ended the war there, then in ten to fifteen years we would have to do this all over again._

_Plus I and the Senate were growing increasingly had odds. As my popularity grew within the military and amongst the civilian population they became increasingly wary of me. The Republic was founded on the principle that no one should have too much power and they feared that perhaps I would lead a coup. To be honest I had no interest in ruling._

_In response they began to send and increasing number of Senatorial Advisors who were little more than thinly disguised spies and in addition they had several of my best officers relieved and replaced them with incompetent flunkies._

_I still find it hard to believe that in the middle of a war the Senate would try to hamstring me, to tarnish my public image even though it could cost us the war. It was the first time that I ever thought about doing something about the senate._

_It wasn't until the final assault on Dxun that a truly alternative solution was purposed by my half-brother, Mandalore's own son. During my brief captivity he suggested that I challenge Mandalore, my father, to the Akaanati'kar'oya, the ancient and formal Mandalorian trial by combat over Mask of Mandalore. _

_While normally this challenge would never be accepted from an enemy, but I am Mandalorian born and raised by my mother who was a former member of Mandalore the Ultimate's personal guard. As such I had the right as do all Mandalorians to challenge him, add to the fact that I am a famous general and a hero who played a major part in stalling and pushing back the Mandalorian offensive, and it made me look worthy in the eyes of my people._

_Nonetheless my father was taken by surprise when I issued my challenge to his rule. As according to tradition he named the planet on which the duel would take place… he chose Malachor._


	12. Chapter 11: Kashyyyk, Darkest Depths

Chapter 11: Kashyyyk, Darkest Depths

_Nearly a thousand warships, two mighty fleets of the Republic and Mandalorians, hung in formation over the dead world of Malachor. A show a force from their respective masters and a threat should the challenge be violated._

_Revan had been shocked when Mandalore the Ultimate chose that world on which to fight the Akaanati'kar'oya. Malachor was a world that every Mandalorian was taught from the cradle to avoid._

_The moment Revan and Malak had set foot on the planet they were assaulted with waves of dark power. It had been like a physical thing crawling over and through her. She felt as if insanity itself was scrapping at the gates of her mind. She had managed to fight off the shadows while still retaining her sanity, Malak took longer but he too recovered. Had her father known this place would affect her so?_

_Now she, Malak and a squad of marines stood nearly twenty meters from the men who had been their enemies for these past years. As tradition dictated all the leaders of the Clans were in attendance for the challenge… all twenty-six of them including the infamous Warlord Cassius Fett, the butcher of Cathar himself. Mandalore the Ultimate himself was the most impressive figure among them. Nearly two and a half meters tall the warlord was dressed in his trademark gleaming silver armor and crimson cape along, of course, with the black and blood red Mask of Mandalore._

_For the first time in her life Revan was in the presence of her father and she felt nothing but loathing for the man who had sired her. Revan wore her trademark armor with her twin sabers hanging from her sides. Stepping to her 'edge' of the circle she stared her father in the eyes, or at least his visor, a clear challenge._

_Her father stepped into the battle circle brandishing his glided Mandalorian Iron double sided battle-axe. According to legends it was the same weapon that Mandalore the Indomitable had used against Ulic Qel-Dromain in their famous duel and then latter in the Great Sith War. _

"_As the challenged," his voice range out across the dead world, "it is I who decide the manner in which this duel shall be fought."_

_It was his right and Revan knew it, "What are your conditions?"_

_The Mandalore made a gesture and one of the smaller clan leaders stepped forward carrying a small metal collar. Revan felt her stomach drop as she recognized it… a Force Suppression Collar. Mandalore took the collar from his underling and tossed it at Revan. The collar hit the ground and skidded several feet before stopping._

"_Put it on," her father commanded, "We'll see how well you fight without the Force."_

_Slowly Revan crouched down and retrieved the collar. She knew what he was doing; he was deliberately trying to handicap her. Fortunately for her, her first master, Kreia, had made a point of teaching her to fight without the Force._

_Snapping the collar on she gave her father a defiant look. Even has she glared she knew she was at a disadvantage. Without the Force she couldn't utilize her favorite fighting styles of Juyo and Makashi as they required a measure of speed and coordination beyond the human norm. _

_Without the Force she felt sluggish as if she was underwater, it was a disconcerting feeling to say the least. Revan drew a single saber from her belt, being easier to wield than two. Stepping into the Battle circle Revan raised her saber in a Makashi salute and Mandalore nodded in response as he did the same._

_The duel began and the two combatants slowly circled one another. Revan took several probing swipes looking for weaknesses in her father's defense. As she expected she didn't find any as he batted away her attacks._

_Revan struck again driving the point of her saber towards her father's heart. Mandalore dodged faster than she would have thought possible in his armor and swung his axe in a powerful horizontal sweep. Revan ducked and slashed at his feet causing him to backpetal. _

_Pressing her advantage she struck hard and fast but Mandalore, a warrior with decades of experience, was not easily slain. Catching her saber in-between one of the blades of his axe and the handle he angled the deadly blade away from him. Twisting he locking in the lightsaber as he pushed forward sliding down the saber's length. As he did he reached out and grabbed a startled Revan jerking her forward so her head connected with his mask in a wet crack. _

_Stumbling backwards Revan fell bring her free hand to her face as blood flowed freely from her nose. However now was not the time to worry about cosmetic injuries as Mandalore roared and charged bringing his axe down in a bone shattering overhead swing. Revan barely managed to scoot back in time as the axe came down between her spread leads, centimeters from her groin._

_Not hesitating she kicked out, planting her boot square in Mandalore's T-visor. The force of the blow caused Mandalore to stagger and Revan wasted no time getting back on her feet. As Mandalore had knocked her saber from her hand in his previous attack she drew her second saber and charged intent on skewering him._

_Mandalore however side-stepped her strike and reached out quicker than a snake and grabbed the wrist of her sword hand and twisting it behind her so hard that she was forced to drop her second saber._

_Revan let out a cry of pain as she felt the bone in her wrist snap and her shoulder dislocate. Even though the pain was excoriating it was nothing new to her. Master Kreia had inflicted far worse injuries on her during training. Ignoring her pain she entangled her right leg with the Mandalore's and gave a vicious tug causing him to fall on his back taking her with him._

_Not giving him time to recover Revan lashed out with her good arm catching him right in the throat then reaching down with the same arm she withdrew a combat knife from her boot. She had taken the razor sharp k-bar made of Mandalorian Iron from a Mandalorian Supercommando who nearly killed her early in the war. _

_Rolling off to the right and ignoring the pain that flared in her arm as she landed on it she plunged the k-bar into Mandalore's chest. Releasing the knife she fell back on her back simply staring up at the sky as she breathed heavily._

"_Revan," she heard a deep voice say._

_After removing her collar she turned her head and she saw the Mask of Mandalore starring back at her, "Congratulations…. you killed me," Mandalore said with a chuckled that turned into a ragged gasp for air, "It's ironic," he continued pained after getting his breathing under control._

_Cradling her wounded arm to her chest she propped herself up against him so she could look down on the man who was her enemy, "What's ironic," she said intending it to be harsh but instead it came out curious._

"_You," he said with another ragged breath. She had definitely punctured a lung._

"_Me?"_

"_I had your mother killed…I tried to have you killed," he continued reaching up and running his gloved fingers along the ends of her hair. To her own great surprise she didn't pull away, "because I believed you were the source of my greatest shame, but now… you are my greatest source of pride."_

_Revan blinked. Then blinked again, "You're proud of me," she said disbelieving looking down at the man who she had just killed. _

_He coughed, a wet gurgling sound, "You did what I thought was impossible. You rallied the Republic from the edge of the abyss. You defeated my fleets and armies. You bested the best among us again and again. You defeated us, the masters of war in our own arena. How could I not be proud? And I know you'll lead our people well."_

_His fingertips brushed the edges of her cheek causing her to shiver and look away, Angry at herself. She had been… had hated this man with everything she was …but after all… he was her father, "What," what did he think she was going to do? Continue his grand crusade after he was gone._

"_This war is over," he said to her great surprise, "but the next one is building and again you will be at the center of it. Revan, rarely does the fate of the Galaxy rest in the hands of a single individual, but now it does. The Republic, the Mandalorian Clans, the whole of the Galaxy is yours all you need do is take it."_

"_I don't want it," she said vehemently._

"_That's why it needs you," he said before entering another coughing fit, "The galaxy his weak, divided, leaderless. Its inhabitants are pulling in a thousand different directions threatening to shatter any chance of unity," he gave a small gurgling laugh, "I thought I was the one. That I was strong enough to stand against what was coming, but it turns out it wasn't me it was you."_

_That caught her attention, "What? What is coming," she repeated franticly._

_Mandalore didn't answer, "Claim your prize Revan and remember my words… daughter," and even without the Force she knew he was dead as his head slouched and his hand fell to the ground._

_Shakily she reached out with her good hand and fumbled around the edges of the mask for the release. Finding it she trigged the lever and a hissing sound issued forth as the mask retracted._

_Slowly she removed the mask and for the first time in her life she looked at her father's naked face. He didn't look like a monster. He just looked like an old man, nothing more._

_Resolving herself she stood up and faced the assembled clan leaders who one by one dropped to one knee. Placing the Mask of Mandalore upon her face she winced as the mask bonded to her face. Taking steady deep breaths she braced herself as the as the edges of the mask extended across her head till a full helmet was formed._

_Pulling up her hood and shrouding her face in shadow expect for the ominous reflection of the T-visor she called her sabers back to her belt. After giving one last long look at her father's body she turned her attention back to the clan leaders._

"_All hail Lord Mandalore," her brother cheered still kneeling. The call was picked up one by one till all the Chieftains were chanting it. All expect for a few including Cassius Fett who had taken their own lives as a show of dedicating to their fallen Master._

_As they were still chanting she through a look back at Malak and the marines who had unseal looks on their faces._

"_Mandalore," she said trying out the sound of the word, Mandalore the… the what, is the question._

XXX

"He said not to kill them," Carth said annoyed as he trudged through the mud. Jolee had asked them to clear out a group of poachers about a day's walk from his home without using lethal force.

"The captain pissed me off," the big Mandalorian said matter of fact, "besides you really think those greedy bastards were gonna move as long as they could make money."

"That's still no reason to murder them," Bastila snapped back.

Canderous just shrugged and lit up a cigar he pillaged from the corpses of the Czerka men, "I got the job done," and with that he was done talking.

Despite the fact that they had been obviously not been making any progress with the greedy Czerka Captain Canderous's bloody solution didn't sit well with him. Rachel was apparently the only one the stubborn Mandalorian would listen too.

"Let's just hope Jolee isn't too upset," Carth finished with a shake of his head.

"He'll live with it," Canderous huffed blowing out a cloud of smoke, "or he'll learn to."

XXX

"The battle is progressing well milord," a man in a rear-admiral's uniform said from behind him, "We've driven them away from their outer defenses and are pushing deeper into the system proper."

"Proceed Admiral," Malak grumbled as he starred out the view panels. Outside a myriad collection of debris floated silently, debris that had once been warships, battle stations, fighters and… people.

The 3th Fleet had been assigned to push down through the Correllian Run, one of the galaxies most important trade routes, since the war began. With the exception of the 1st Fleet, Revan's own, the 3th had pushed further and faster than any other element in the Sith Armada.

They were now deep in the Inner-rim and threatening to break out into the Colonies' Region. The Republic knew that the results of a Sith breakout into the colonies before their defensives could be redeployed would be disastrous; as such they were deploying some of their most veteran units to this theater.

The 3rd's first push into this system had given the Sith a bloody nose and now they were back for vengeance. They'd, in full force, slogged through the system's perimeter defenses throwing the defenders back to guard the system's two inhabited planets.

Through the window Malak could see green flashes as the Sith picket ships opened fire. In short time red flashes appeared signaling Republic counter-fire. Within minutes the two great fleets were in engaged in their deadly ballet of death.

While the Sith enjoyed the luxury of numbers the Republic defenders had the surface to space weaponry from the planet itself and fixed defensive stations. The Sith Fleet pushed and the Republic forces withered under their punishing fire.

Within an hour the naval engagement was over and the Sith fleet hung over the planet like a predator salivating over its prey. Malak stood watching as the ships of the fleet disgorged waves of troop transports and landing crafts.

Turning to the one of the ship's officers he ordered, "Prepare my shuttle for launch. There are Jedi on that world and I need a good distraction."

XXX

_In her quarters aboard her flagship Revan sat at her desk holding her head in her hands. This can't be happening, she repeated over and over again as she stared down at the datapad. Suddenly she felt a familiar presence and the door to her office slid open and Malak called out, "Revan… baby whatcha doing," he said before realizing something was not right. Stepping behind her he continued, "what's wrong?"_

_Wordlessly she held up the datapad for Malak to take. He read it and Revan saw his jaw drop and his eye's bulged in disbelief, "What they can't...?"_

_Revan gave a bitter laugh, "They've relieve me of my command and ordered back to Coruscant pending Courts Martial. They say I… collaborated," she spat, "with the enemy."_

_She watched Malak's jaw work as if he wanted to say something but just couldn't find the words to say. Sitting down he rested his hand on her shoulder and began to rub her back as he did when they were in bed, "What do you want to do?"_

"_We have some time," she admitted._

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Do you remember John Curon," she asked referring to the former Captain of one of the ships in her fleet who was badly injured during the last major battle. She'd been able to pull some strings to keep in in the service and got him assigned to a planetside post._

"_Yeah kinda," he admitted. _

"_He's now Rear-Admiral Curon and runs Naval Communications," she said and could tell Malak immediately understood, "he filched the message and sent it along to me. It gives us at least a week before they notice something's wrong."_

_She chewed on her lip as she thought, "Malak can you call a war room I need to talk to my staff."_

_He nodded._

_Two days later the various members of her staff along with her Fleet commanders were assembled in the Admiral's ready room onboard her flagship. Admirals from each of the Fleet Group Outer Rim's five fleets were assembled along with counterpart army generals sitting around a large oak table. The only non-flag officer in the room was Major Reinhardt Vankonis her chief of intelligence._

"_Is this for real General," Colonel-General Erwin Swhartze the senior army general in the Outer-Rim Command and the commander of the 1__st__ Army said disbelief clear in his voice as he put down the data pad._

"_I agree General they can't do this," Rear-Admiral Saul Karath commander of the 2__nd__ Fleet said vehemently resting his elbows on the table._

"_Unfortunately they can," Revan said with a bitter laugh._

"_We'll protest," Rear-Admiral Halsey commander of the 5__th__ fleet threatened, "or resign."_

"_We could go to the press," Major General Morell commander of the 3__rd__ Army added hesitantly, "You're quite popular."_

"_Ha," Major General Jodel commander of the 5__th__ Army said with a laugh, "the press is in bed with the Senate. They spin it so everything they did was justified. Face it the war's over they no longer need you General."_

"_Permission to speak General," Reinhardt said to Revan. As the only mid-level officer in the room there was a certain protocol that needed following. _

_Revan nodded and with a wave of her hand said, "Of course major, always."_

_The aristocratic officer leaned forward as if imparting a great secret, "You could always disobey. You command one of the largest forces ever assembled. The men and women love you, the Rim loves you," he said leaving his words hanging in the air._

_The room fell silent, so silent you could hear the slight hum of the engines, "You do realize what you're proposing… major," the Colonel-General said hesitantly._

_The major didn't flinch. Coolly he locked stares with Swhartze, "I do sir."_

_The flag level officers looked around uneasily not meeting each other's eyes. Sudden they one by one looked up at her looking for her reaction. As they stared at her Revan found herself wishing she still had her mask on. _

"_Would you support me if I tried," Revan said shocking herself, Malak and everyone else in the room._

_Again the officers looked about uneasily. Again it was Swhartze who spoke up, "Meine Ehre ist meine Loyalität," he said softly, "I'm with you my general, till the ends of the galaxy if I have too."_

_Revan smiled as she recognized the phrase. It was a saying from Corulag, a planet renown for its militaristic culture and values. Bowing her head she said, "Thank you general."_

_One by one the rest of the generals and admirals pledged their support. _

_XXX_

"Frack," the word hissed through Rachel parched lips. Slowly cracking her eyes open she groaned in pain as the light stabbed into her brain.

"Welcome back to the land of the living missy," an aged voice called out to her from across the room.

Propping herself up on her elbows she found the voice and squinting in concentration she attempted to put a face to the voice and a name to the face. Jolee Bindo was his name Rachel realized after several seconds; the old Jedi hermit who lived in the shadowlands.

"Jolee… Jolee Bindo," she called out for conformation as she rubbed her head. Gingerly she reached down to her naked stomach touching the pale white circle of new skin. "Damn," she said softly. There was no ugly red scar; it was simply a patch of skin as if she had just spent a week in kolto tank.

"That's the one," the old dark-skinned man aid holding out a cup filled with water.

Rachel looked up and eagerly took it. Lifting it to her parched lips she greedily drunk from the cup, emptying it in a matter of seconds, "Thanks," she finally said putting down the cup and wiping her mouth, "Where's Carth… and everyone else."

"On a task for me," Jolee said grabbing and bowel full of soup, "eat this," and after giving it to her he continued, "they should be back soon."

Taking the bowl she slowly ate and her stomached thanked here for it, "Thanks for all you've done. I owe you," she admitted grudgingly. She didn't like to be in anyone's debt.

"You owe me nothing," Jolee said with a shake of his head.

Rachel continued her meal before looking back up, "How's Carth doing," she asked attempting to sound causal.

The old man chuckled a bit, "Your lover boy's fine. In fact," Jolee said throwing a look back towards the door, "he's gonna be mighty pissed. He was in here nearly every minute since you were brought here," he paused catching her eye, "he loves you very deeply."

"I love him too," she replied without hesitation narrowing her eyes and turning a steely gaze on him daring him to challenge her.

Jolee held up his hands, "I believe you."

Rachel started to speak when she felt another familiar presence… Bastila. She stretched her senses out and felt Carth and Canderous with her, "They're back."

Jolee frowned for a second before Rachel felt him reach out with his own senses, "So they are," he confirmed.

The first through the door was Carth who was saying, "Jolee the poachers are gone however…," he trailed off as she saw Rachel sitting up. She flashed a smile at him and he rushed up to her and wrapped her in his arms, planting a deep kiss on her as he did.

Seeing this Jolee quietly departed the room not wanting to intrude. When they finally broke apart Rachel giggled softly, "Guess you're glad to see me."

Running his fingers through her hair he took a deep ragged breath, "I thought I'd lost you," he said his voice cracking slightly. Then running his fingers around her around he asked concerned, "Does it hurt?"

"No. Can't even tell the difference," she said honestly.

He removed his fingers and sighed, "I'm sorry. It was my fault," he said sounding pained, "I distracted you and…"

Rachel had had enough of that and snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss, "It wasn't your fault," she said when they broke for air, "it was mine. I got distracted," she clarified, "and in the process broke every rule of swordplay there is," as she saw he was about to large some more she placed her index finger over his lips, "Don't blame yourself."

XXX

Two hours later they were rested, reequipped and ready to head out again. During the time she was out Canderous had patched up the hole in her armor, something she was grateful for by the way. To Rachel's surprise Jolee had volunteered to join her little group and being that he recently saved her life she wasn't in a position to refuse.

The old coot however was far from a hindrance. In addition to his great skills as a healer Jolee had extensive knowledge of the forest and they were know putting that skill to good use. Without him they would have stumbled around in the dark foreboding wood for Force knows how long.

They had passed into the deepest part of the jungle an hour ago and were trudging along in search of this crazed Wookiee, Jolee said he had an idea of where he resided, and the Star Map.

For the past ten minutes the hair on the back of Rachel's neck had been standing up and she was on edge. It felt like someone or something as watching them. At first she thought it was some kind of animal but that didn't feel quite right.

"You sure you know where we're going old man," Canderous growled throwing an angry look at old Jedi.

"Of course," Jolee said sounding offended, "though you know what they say. The mind is the first to go so it is possible," the old man said with a mischievous smile that made Canderous curse.

"Great we're following a senile," the Mandalorian said with a groan slapping his hand to his forehead.

Soon Bastila and Carth joined the argument but Rachel wasn't focused on them. Closing her she reached out with the Force… searching, searching for something.

"Rachel what do you-," Carth started but was cut off as Rachel's eyes snapped opened. Calling her saber to her hand she slashed to the right quicker than the eye could follow before pivoting back and hurling her saber through the air.

The saber sailed through the air and impacted a tree. Curiously only the first few inches of the saber sunk into of the massive tree's base.

"Bloody hell," Bastila exclaimed, "why'd…," she however trailed off as an armored head suddenly fell to the ground out of thin air. Seconds later the stealth field generator around the body failed as it fell to its knees then plopped on the ground.

Extending her hand Rachel called her saber back to her. When the saber extracted itself from the tree there was a thump and whiz as another stealth field generator failed and a body it the ground, "Watch out," she said, "There may be more."

Rachel toed the decapitated head. It was Mandalorian as was the other, "I wonder what Mandalorians are doing down here."

"Guarding the Star Map perhaps," Carth ventured as he scanned the area, his pistols drawn.

Rachel didn't think so as she knelt down to incept the corpses. The biggest reason she thought so was because they were still wearing the Neo-Crusader armor. Black Hand special operations troopers wouldn't have been wearing the old model. Finely she checked clan tattoos confirm her suspicions, they belonged to a clan that fled after Malachor and refused to serve Revan.

A glance over at Canderous confirmed he was thinking the same thing. That still left the question of why were they here in the Shadowlands.

"My guess is they're Dar'manda," Canderous said a frown clear on his face as if the very thought disgusted him.

Rachel felt her eyes go wide and said to Canderous in Mando'a, "Truly?"

He nodded.

"Alright what's Dar'manda," Bastila said impatiently butchering the word as she tried to say it.

Switching back to Basic Rachel tried to be explained, "To be Dar'manda is to turn your back on our heritage, our culture, your honor and therefore lose your soul," she paused realizing that perhaps that could also refer to her. She had after all grown up adopted and had fought against Mandalore the Ultimate in the war. Perhaps in the eyes of the Mandalorians was she Dar'manda, it was a disturbing thought but there was nothing she could do about it.

"In this case the're deserters," Canderous spat, "after Malachor they refused to acknowledge General Revan as Mandalore and fled. They became mercenaries and assassins for the highest bidder."

"Like you," Bastila said and the moment she did Rachel felt her spine straighten. Jolee and Carth also seemed to realize the enormity of Bastila error.

If looks could kill they'd be picking pieces Bastila out of the forest for months. To avoid any bloodshed Rachel nearly leapt in between them placing her hands on Canderous's chest, "Easy she didn't mean it. Not like that."

"What if I did," Bastila said arrogantly causing Rachel to sigh in frustration, "He speaks nobly but what is he in reality," she said mockingly glaring at Canderous, "you were a mercenary, so how are you any different than them."

She expected a fight, expected Canderous to punch Bastila's face in and beat her to death right here. So she was surprised when he simply said, "Revan's dead."

"What," Bastila said dumbly, blinking several times in confusion.

"I served Revan after Malachor," Canderous said proudly.

"You're… a Sith," Carth said disbelief and disgust clear in his voice.

"No," Canderous countered vehemently glaring at Carth, "Sith is but a name, something Revan used as a banner, something to strike fear into the hearts of the Republic and the Jedi. I served no Sith Lord I served the Mandalore and she is dead now and no new one has stepped forth. I owe no loyalty to that bastard Malak," he spat the current Dark Lord of the Sith's name as if it were the foulest thing in the universe, "and serving him held no appeal."

Rachel knew even without her Force abilities that he was telling the truth. She had the feeling that a great many of Mandalorians were loyal to Revan personally and held to great love for Malak or the Sith as a whole. It also went a long way to explain the reason for the mounting tension between the Sith and the Black Hand.

"He worked for the Sith," Carth spat now pointing his weapons at Canderous, his fingers tensed on the trigger.

"I agree," Bastila chimed holding her saber at a ready position.

Again Rachel was forced to play peacemaker, "That's enough," she barked coming to Canderous defense, "he's had plenty of opportunities to betray us… we shot up a Sith embassy for Force's sake. Plus like the man said he's got no reason to love Malak."

Both Carth and Bastila still looked skeptical while Jolee simply looked on amusedly, "Trust me," she added with a pleading look. Carth within seconds nodded and holstered his weapons, unable to resist her. Bastila it took a little longer to convince but eventually she did with minimal fuss.

Relieved that she didn't have to knock heads she turned to Jolee and growled, "Where the frack is this damn Wookiee?"

Jolee's laugher echoed through the woods.

XXX

Jaster Skirta sat in his office with a bottle of a hundred-fifty year old scotch. So far things were proceeding nicely. Their little coup was gathering support as Colonel Vankonis covertly traveled around the Sith Empire military hierarchy meeting with senior officers still believed to be loyal to Revan. So far the wily colonel had had remarkable success and over seventy-percent of the senior level officers were on their side. All he needed was Revan to retake her throne and everything would be back to the way they used to be, minus Malak of course.

There were only a few problems standing in his way: the first was Revan had no idea who she was at the movement and he was pretty sure Malak knew she was alive. If he couldn't produce Revan than the Empire would side with Malak over him and Jaster didn't relish the thought of what the Dark Lord would do to him. If Revan did return than he had no doubt she could reclaim her empire.

"Pardon the intrusion general," a young man said hurriedly as he entered the room, "I thought you'd want to see this right away," he finished holding out a datapad.

The Black Hand general ignored the breech of protocol and took the datapad sending the young man away. As he read he felt a deep frown come over his face. The_ Revenant, Crucible_ and the _Leviathan_ had disappeared from the duty rosters. While it wasn't unusual for ships to be dispatched for secret missions, the fact that one was Malak's flagship and the two others were commanded by men who were fanatically loyal to the Dark Lord did not bode well.

Putting the datapad on his desk he leaned back in his chair to think. Malak knew Revan was alive and actively trying to eliminate her. He's sent assassins after them on Tatooine after all. Jaster racked his brain attempting to figure out what Malak was planning. Malak had to be careful in his actions so not to revel his actions to the rest of the empire who would surely side with Revan.

After several minutes something hit him. They were on Kashyyyk now and they had already been to Maanan, Tatooine, and Dantooine, so that left them with only place left to go…. Korriban. That's what the ships, interdictor cruisers, were for. He couldn't very well wait for them to get to Korriban so he'd try to catch them on route.

He did some checking and found there were only three hyperlanes that traveled from Kashyyyk to Korriban. They had to be lying in wait along one of those paths hoping for her to land right in their lap. Pressing a button on his desk he ordered, "Corporal Henkins have Intel collect all information about Sith interdictor cruisers in the following hyperlanes," he then listed the three lanes, "Then have Captain Marks prep the _Honor Bound _for immediate launch."

The _Honor Bound_ was a Mandalorian battleship that had once served as Mandalore the Ultimate's flagship and now was the flagship of the Commanding General of the Black Hand. The Black Hand maintained a small fleet of ships to better carry out their missions when it was detrimental to include the navy.

"Yes sir," Henkins's voice came back over the comm, "I'll get right on that."

Jaster stood up and swiftly packed what he needed as he made to leave his office he stopped thoughtfully and turned back retrieving the Mask of Mandalore from its resting place on his wall. Holding the familiar blood red and black mask in his hand he starred at it for a moment before placing it in his bag.

He had a feeling its rightful owner was going to want it back.

XXX

"That's nasty," Carth said grimacing, pointing out the obvious.

"Yeah," Rachel repeated as she looked over the edge of an eight foot pit filled with punji sticks. Impaled on said sticks was a Mandalorian merc who had had they bad luck to fall into said pit. It seemed the Wookiee they were tracking had planted some little surprises around his camp.

Thanks to Rachel's, Jolee's and Bastila's Force senses they'd managed to avoid at least three traps so far, but out of how many they didn't know. Trying to find a specific person with the Force in this jungle was like trying to find a particular drop of water in an ocean. There was just so much other stuff out there it was nearly impossible to filter.

"We're close," Jolee said for what to Rachel seemed like the hundredth time.

Carth decide to voice her frustration, "You've been saying that for the last ha-"

However he was cut off as Rachel's danger sense flared and she yelled, "Down." She and everyone else hit the deck as a hail of blaster-bolts… no bowcaster quarrels smashed into the surrounding foliage causing a hail of wood shrapnel.

Canderous and Carth quickly returned fire sending a hail of ruby bolts in the direction of the green quarrels.

"Suppression fire only," Rachel ordered no room for interpretation in her voice, "I want him alive."

"What the frack for," Canderous roared over the sounds of battle as he put more bolts down range; though this time they were purposely high.

"Chundar wants him dead," she responded, "I want to know why," and with that she flourished her sabers and used the Force to propel her to great speeds. The Wookiee fired at her several times but she either dodged or redirected the fire away. Then coming within striking distance she slashed down, cutting the bowcaster in two before lashing out with the Force sending the Wookiee flying hard into a tree.

The Wookiee looked old, she thought as she got her first look. His hair, unlike the other Wookiees she had seen, was a grey color and he simply felt old in the Force. Nonetheless Rachel held her right hand saber out the tip at the Wookieee's throat, "Stay calm. I don't want to hurt you."

The Wookiee woofed in laughter, {Your kind come to my world to enslave my people and yet you say you mean me no harm?}

Rachel frowned, "Listen you old bastard I came here for something called a Star Map, but the damned chieftain is holding a member of my crew hostage a Wookiee named Zaalbar until I kill you," she paused retracting her saber's blade, "Why."

A cautious look entered the old Wook's eye, {Zaalbar… do not claim to me he is your slave,} he snarled.

She shook her head, "No he follow me because he owes me a life-debt," she said staring the Wookie straight in the eye. Then she extended her hand in a helping gesture and as a matter of trust. Rachel knew that from here it would be simple enough, for someone of his strength, to grab her, pull her down and snap her neck.

To her great relief he didn't and straining her muscles she helped him to his feet. After waving her friends over she continued by asking, "You know Zaalbar?"

The Old Wook nodded slowly, {He is my son… as is Chundar.}

That caught Rachel by surprise, "You exiled him," she finally said accusingly.

Again he nodded hanging his head with shame, {I arrived too late to see what had happened. As tradition dictated I believed the word of the older son. I didn't realize till later what a snake Chundar was and by then he had already turned most of the tribe against me.}

By this time the rest of the gang had come up and Jolee exchanged brief pleasantries, apparently they knew each other and Rachel learned the Wookiee's name was Freyyr. It seemed that Jolee had helped the Wookiee escape after Chundar tried to have him sold into slavery.

{Jedi,} Freyyr asked, {If you wish to help my son,} he said referring to Zaalbar Rachel assumed, {then there is something I need you to do if we are to rescue him and your other crewmembers.}

"What we can't just go in shooting," Canderous said sardonically.

{No you would not survive against the entire village,} he said quite assuredly, {They would all rise up and slaughter you.}

'"You have a plan then I presume," Bastila shot back haughtily.

{Many thousands of years ago the great chieftain Bacca found a crashed starship and from the wreckage forged a mighty blade,} he explained, {that blade has always been weld by the chieftains of Rwookrrorrro as a symbol of authority. About five hundred years ago in a shadowland the chieftain Rothrraw was fighting the great beast when the blade broke off in the creature's hide. If you can find the creature and retrieve the blade than I believe we can challenge Chundar for the throne.}

"The blade of a mere sword is enough to issue a challenge like that," Carth questioned not quite understanding its importance.

Rachel however understood and she thought Canderous it as well. It was a symbol more than anything, "Like the Mask of Mandalore," she drew the comparison. It was a close comparison but not perfect, "Now what's this beast?"

{The beast,} Freyyr said, {Is a monstrous creature four meters tall with spikes protruding from its back , hide like durasteel and razor sharp tusks. Many brave warriors have tried to slay it; to merely survive is a great accomplishment. }

"Wonderful," Carth said sarcastically.

"Were can we find it," she asked ignoring Carth's glib comment.

{There's a grove where the beast can be found.}

"I know where it is," Jolee said piping in, "Or at least where the grove is."

It took them over an hour to find the ritual grove in which the ominously named 'beast' lived.

"Keep your eyes peeled," Rachel said unnecessarily. The Dark-side permeated the entire area and hung like mist in the air. Instead of the air being hot and unbearably humid, as usual, it was frigid. Even the non-Force users in knew something was wrong.

Rachel breathed out and noted with some fascination that she could see her breath. She opened her senses and scanned the area trying to find the beast in the Force. She didn't sense anything. Her eyes flew open and she realized with a shock she couldn't sense anything, nothing at all.

A quick glance back at Bastila and Jolee confirmed they were having the same problems that she was. She ignited her sabers and Bastila and Jolee did the same, "Jolee," she said questioningly wondering if this was normal.

The old man looked back at her wide-eyed, "Never happened before."

An ear splitting roar split the jungle. Rachel to her own annoyance and embarrassment jumped in fright, though she felt much better as the others did the same. Materializing from the shadows of the forest came the beast, every bit a terrifying as a creature of nightmare.

Jolee let out an uncharacteristic curse and glumly intoned, "It's a terentatek."

Bastila gasped. Rachel racked her brain for any reference but couldn't find one, "What?"

"A Force resistant beast created by the ancient Sith," Jolee started to say.

"Doesn't sound so bad," Rachel interrupted frowning as she reached out with the Force, but couldn't feel the creature in the Force. That alone frightened her.

"Specifically to kill Jedi," he finished drily.

"This'll be fun," she cursed as she threw a powerful wave of Force energy at the creature. She expected it to buckle after all the wave she threw was powerful enough to kill a man by force alone. Instead the creature barely moved at all and roared a challenge, "Spread out and take it down."

Canderous and Carth went different directions firing as they moved. A hail of ruby red bolts slammed into the terentatek doing no visible damage, but enraging it further.

Rachel called the Force to her again and focused it this time in a narrow stream. The blast slammed into the creature this time sending it reeling, but doing no damage to the beast. The attack angered it enough to charge her… just as she wanted.

When the terentatek was halfway to her she counter-charged at the creature and leapt using the force to propel her into the air. Twisting mid-air she brought her body around to land on the terentatek's back. Bringing her sabers down on the creatures head she was horrified when instead of slicing through the terentatek's outer shell merely slid off the side.

"There hides are impervious to lightsabers," Jolee shouted out.

The creature began to buck and Rachel brought her legs in and pushed off its back landing behind it, "You could have told me that," she shouted cursing at the old man.

"Sorry," he shouted back.

"This isn't working," Canderous shouted as he slammed a fresh power pack into his weapon. Arming a grenade he threw it at the creature's feet. It detonated moments later again causing no apparent damage. However it did attract the creature attention causing it to charge at the Mandalorian.

Her mind was working a mile a minute to try to figure what to do as Canderous dodged the creatures attacks. Jolee and Bastila slashed at it and threw Force blasts while dodging its blows. Suddenly she had an idea.

Locating a large boulder she used the Force to lift a good chair sized boulder and threw it at the creatures back. The boulder struck the terentatek in the center of its back sending it tumbling to the ground.

Now with a few spare seconds she found Canderous and holing her hands over her head yelled, "Grenade."

Only hesitating a second he pulled another frag grenade from his belt and heaved it in Rachel direction. Positioning herself under it she caught the grenade just as the terentatek turned around and roared in anger. Arming the grenade she threw it using the Force to guide it right into the creature's mouth. Half a second later it exploded causing the creature to sway on its feet. Seconds later the terentatek fell to the ground blood pouring from its mouth.

The entire team moved in cautiously and Rachel pulled her right hand saber and moved up to its head. Igniting it the purple blade snapped to light and she stabbed it down into its eye.

"Nice move," Canderous said slapping her on the back, "quick thinking."

"Not really," Carth said throwing her a smile, "it's the same plan we used in the Taris sewers."

"Hey," she argued, "at least I thought of something."

"I found it," Bastila shouted from the other side of the terentatek.

"The sword blade," Rachel asked moving over to the side Bastila's on, "You've found it?"

Rachel knelt down next to the where the sword was. Pulling out her combat knife she dug around in the area where the blade was, trying to get it free. Working it for a good five minutes she had finally made a big enough opening to pry it free. Carefully so not to cut herself she pulled the blade from the corpse.

"Let's get this back to Freyyr and then I'll show you where the Star Map is," Jolee said taking the blade from her reverently and wrapping it up in a strip of cloth he produced from seemingly nowhere.

"You know where the map is," Carth said stuttering, "all this time and you didn't say anything."

Jolee just shrugged and Rachel wondered if he was going to play the old senile man routine. Instead he just smiled.

When they brought the blade back to Freyyr the Wookiee was ecstatic. With the blade he believed that they now had the legal authority to challenge Chundar. The plan was for Jolee to lead her to the Star Map before they linked up at the elevator.

Jolee lead her through the jungle and back into the deepest part of the forest. Though the Dark-Side was still present in the forest though all-pervasive darkness the terentatek emitted was gone.

"How'd you find the map," Rachel asked curiously as they moved through the woods. An artifact of the Dark-Side of the Force hardly seemed like something a Jedi or semi-retired Jedi would go looking for. However he elected not to answer.

When they came to the map Rachel let out a curse, "This one's different," she said walking up to it. This map had some sort of large device attached to it and what looked something like a holo-pad. Coming up to the pad a large hologram of the same species whose statues she'd seen in the tomb on Dantooine appeared.

"Life forms detected," the ghost like figure intoned in monotone, "determining parameters. Initiating neural scan."

"There's the blasted thing," Jolee said grumbling while he stroked his beard, "Obstinate machine. I've no doubt it holds what you seek, but good luck getting it operational."

At this point Rachel was hoping they didn't have to go up and get Mission and T-3 to come down here and hack this thing. They'd already spent too much time on this world.

To Rachel and Jolee's surprise the machine intoned, "Primary neural recognition complete. Preliminary match found."

Jolee voice his surprise by saying, "Match found…? What… it always muttered something about 'rejected pattern' for me."

"Begin social interface. Awaiting instruction. Greetings. This terminal has not been accessed in quite some time."

Crossing her arms she looked up at the hologram, "Why'd you acknowledge me," she questioned the machine, It made no sense for it to accept her but not someone else.

The hologram tilted its head imitating confusion, "Error," it said and Rachel groaned. That was never a good sign, "Subject displays unfamiliarity to environment. Behavioral reconfiguration will be required for access. I am sorry I will answer all questions to the limits of my programs."

Rachel took a half hour to ask the machine a series of question regarding the system and the planet. The answers the machines provided were intriguing. Apparently Kashyyyk was originally meant to be a farm world but something with the terraforming equipment went wrong resulting in the planet's abnormal plant life. She also learned that it was Revan who most likely installed this system to protect the map and, to her amusement, that Jolee had tried to access the information over a thousand times.

"I need information on the Star Map," she ordered eventually having run out of what little patience she had left after everything she'd been throw on this world.

"Accessing. Yes I have the information you seek," the machined paused and the hologram fizzled for a second, "Access denied. Information regarding the 'Star Map' is restricted."

Jolee huffed, "I told you the machine's obstinate."

Crossing her arms and adopting a look of barely restrained frustration Rachel said, "What do I need to access the map."

"Your request requires additional security access," came the machine's single tone voice, "You must be matched to the parameters I have stored."

"Why do you have my neural parameters stored," Rachel demanded angrily. She's never been to Kashyyyk before so how the hell did this machine have her brain pattern.

"Unavailable…. Do you wish me to continue?"

"Yes," she snapped.

"Please answer these questions like you should," the machine said confusingly, "Question 1: You travel with a Wookiee and you have encountered complications. Hypothetical: you and Zaalbar have been captured and separated. If you both remain silent, one year in prison for each of you. However if you call Zaalbar a traitor he will serve five years and you none. He is offered the same deal, but if you accuse the other you each get two years. What do you do? What will you trust him do?"

Rachel mulled over the question for a handful of seconds, "I trust him and he's bound by a life debt. He wouldn't talk and either would I. He's my comrade, my shipmate and my friend; besides," she added with a self-deprecating laugh, "I still have my honor."

"That is the correct answer," the machine said, "Hypothetical: you are at war. Deciphering an enemy code you learn two things about your enemy. First a single spot in their defensives with be weakest at ten days, and they will attack one of your cities in five days. With this information what will you do? What will you do with this information?"

"Subtlety reinforce my city while preparing to attack my enemies weak point," she said. It was better than leaving the people to day and comprising your advantage with the broken code."

"Invalid answer," the machine retorted, "You must choose to attack or defend."

"Your wrong," Rachel shot back vehemently, "In war there're never only two options. You can always find different solutions you just have to use the unorthodox. If you only have two then you're a piss poor commander."

The machine paused for a long time, "Subject supplies familiar behavioral patterns. Previous evaluation must have been in error…. unlocking Star Map."

With a hiss the map split along its seams and projected a holographic image of the galaxy appeared. Recording the coordinates she collected Jolee and said, "Let's get back to the others."

XXX

After linking back up with Freyyr and the rest of her team they embarked on the elevator ride that would take them back up to the higher levels.

When they arrived back to the Great Hall Rachel was pleased to notice that Mission, Zaalbar and the others she had left behind were there and they were unharmed. However Chundar was not pleased and he voiced this displeasure, {I sent you to kill the old Wook… not to bring him back!}

"You lie to me," Rachel said menacingly, "You didn't tell me that Wookiee you wanted me to kill was your father."

Mission gasped clasping her hands over her mouth and turned to Zaalbar who was similarily stunned. Chundar growled in an attempt to intimidate her but his growl came out as little more than a whine, {That wasn't part of the deal.}

Rachel smiled resembling a krayt dragon playing with its prey, "I'm altering the deal," she said crossing her arms over her chest in an open display of defiance.

She knew the Wookiee was in a bind for over half the village had turned against him when they saw Freyyr return and now the only thing keeping him in power was his Czerka guards.

Freyyr now standing tall and proud unwrapped Bacca's blade for all to see, the Wookiees in the room gasped as they saw the ancient artifact. Lifting the blade in the air the old wook said, {Son,} his grave voice echoed through the hall, {by Bacca's blade I've come to end your treachery! No more will you sell your own people into slavery!}

Chundar was not about to back down and roared back, {You have the blade,} he laughed, {So what,} then he proceeded to produce the hilt of the sword, {and I have this. The hilt has been carried by every chieftain in memory! Even you claimed it was all important! We both have are ancient trinkets, so who will the people follow. You,} he huffed again in laughter, {are old and weak.}

Zaalbar stepped forward and gave a roar so loud that Rachel and all the other non-Wookiees had to cover their ears, {Shut up} he roared surprising everyone, {This ends now. I will not have Rwookrrorrro suffer anymore! Chundar! You have betrayed our people. You must pay.}

Using the Force Rachel reached out slamming the two Czerka guards flanking Chundar into the wooden wall. With a thump they dropped to the ground dead. As the four Jedi ignited their sabers and the others raised their blasters the Czerka guards suddenly seemed to rethink their position.

{What are you doing… attack,} Chundar roared madly, waving his arms.

One of the Czerka men shook his head, "No way man. We aren't getting paid enough to die," and he threw down his rifle and raised his hands. One by one the others guards did the same.

"Smart move," Rachel commented, "Kick them over here."

The guards did without protest sliding her weapons across the floor to Rachel's feet. Mission collected the rifles and headed outside to arm some of the Wookiees. Rachel knew Czerka wouldn't take this lying down so they had to act and act quickly.

Zaalbar approached his bother pacing a paw on his shoulder which the disposed chieftain immediately shook off, {I'm sorry brother. I cannot allow you to harm our people any longer.}

{You're a fool Zaalbar,} Chundar snarled, {you think overthrowing me will make a difference. Czerka has blasters and spaceships… you can't win. They'll just come back with more guns and enslave us all. At least my way some of our people would live free.}

That was the biggest load of Bantha-shit she'd ever heard, "That's a lie," and she didn't need the Force to tell her that, "You sold those who threatened your power as a way to maintain power. Besides it better to die on your feet than live on your knees," she finished quoting the old Mandalorian maxim.

Chundar roared in rage and charged his claws extended intent on gutting her. Rachel side stepped bringing her sabers down severing his wrists before, with a flick of her wrist, decapitating him.

Looking up Rachel caught Freyyr's eyes, "He was right about one thing though," she said thoughtfully as she returned her sabers to her belt, "Czerka won't take this lying down," she bit her lip, "we need to fight, to drive them off Kashyyyk."

Freyyr grinned bearing his teeth, {I'll send word to the other villages to rise up, but they will need a victory to show that the slavers can be defeated,} he paused; {we must destroy the Czerka outpost near this city.}

Rachel knew he was asking for her help. Looking back at her crew they all nodded. None of them had any love for slavers, "Were in."

XXX

The battle had been a one sided slaughter. The Wookiees fuelled by a decade of mistreatment descended on the outpost in a storm. With technology hard to come by only a few were armed with bowcasters or blaster while the others were forced to make do with hunting spears and swords. That said in the hands of the Wookies they were just as deadly.

The battle was hardly bloodless and a lot of people died. Rachel though had managed to convince the Wookiees to take prisoners. Carth shook his head in amazement that she had managed to talk down, or perhaps frighten down, a horde of pissed of Wookiees.

They had taken close to a hundred prisoners of various species. Mission, Zaalbar and T-3 were busy disabling the weapons on one of the Czerka freighters so that prisoners could be released to leave. The last thing the prisoners or the Wookiees wanted was for the Czerka personal to stay.

The prisoners were all sitting huddled up on one of the landing platforms jutting out from the main catwalk. Carth was walking among them making sure that no one had managed to conceal a blaster or another form of weapon.

"Force almighty," an oddly familiar voice called out, "Carth Onasi… is that you," the voice said hesitantly.

Carth focused in on the voice. The brown skinned man looked damn familiar. Finally a name popped into his mind, "Jordo… Kast Jordon," Carth said with disbelief. They had served together on the same ship during the Mandalorian Wars, "What are you doing here… last time I saw you was…," he paused, "on Telos actually?"

Jordo rubbed the back of his neck, "Kinda… I mean after the war I mustered out and got a job for Czerka flying freighters. Shame about Telos I guess I was one of the few of the lucky ones," he sadly, "sorry about your wife… Morgona was great woman," then a small smile touched his face, "at least your boy made it out alright."

Carth felt his heart jump up into his throat, "My boy," he repeated dumbly, "You mean… Dustil," he scoured Telos after the attack looking for him. He contacted every agency and refugee organization he knew as well as calling in every favor he'd ever earned.

Jordo frowned, "Yeah of course. I saw him a couple of stops ago on my route. He didn't recognize me though," he then coughed uncomfortably, "Um… he was on Korriban, he uhh… joined the Sith. He was wearing the robes and everything."

All the color draining from his face, "Thanks Jordo," he said numbly feeling sick to his stomach. He stumbled away looking for Rachel all the memories of Telos flashing before his eyes. He had to tell her… they had to find Dustil. He couldn't let his son down again.

_Entry from __**Revan's commentaries on the Mandalorian and Jedi Civil Wars**_

_With a single act of the Senate I was forced into a corner. To be dragged back to Coruscant stripped of my command and placed on a show trial because I did what I had to do to end a war that could last decades. In the end it was no choice at all._

_Ironically it was not me but one of my officers who came out with the idea to rebel against the Senate. I felt I had no choice. Throughout the war the Senate proved again and again that it was incapable of functioning in a time of crisis and in the upcoming conflicts. _

_Malachor was the key. On that damned world I discovered an ancient fortress of the Old Sith Empire, the True Sith Empire of Marka Ragnos and Naga Sadow. Within its halls I discovered a treasure trove of knowledge; knowledge I would soon put to good use._

_Among the information of ancient Sith Lords and Jed, I found reference to an even more ancient civilization called the Infinite Empire and a superweapon , called the Star Forge, they created. Through careful study I learned that Marka Ragnos himself had spent considerable time searching for the weapon during his reign but to no avail. _

_However he did managed to find a star map in an ancient structure on Korriban, curiously the Sith home world. He theorized that exposer to the dark energies of the map was what resulted in the chaotic and warlike nature of the Sith species. He also made the discovery that the Star Map was slowly repairing itself which gave me an idea. While in Ragnos's day the map might have been useless; perhaps a thousand years later it might not be._

_Despite the support I enjoyed I was unwilling to risk civil war unless I knew I could win and to do that I needed the Star Forge. Dispersing the bulk of my command back to its designated garrisons points and patrol zones; I took the First Fleet beyond the Rim, apparently for the purpose of chasing Mandalorians who refused to surrender. _

_In reality Malak and I had begun our search for the Star Forge. If we failed I would simply never return to the Republic, making my home among the Mandalorians perhaps. If I succeeded then I could begin to plan my master campaign for the fall of the Republic. _


	13. Chapter 12: Leviathan, Revelations

Chapter 12: Leviathan, Revelations

The Ebon Hawk soared through hyperspace in the great void between star systems. Giving one last check to make sure all the navigational systems were in the green; satisfied he engaged the autopilot and stood up.

"Watch over everything T-3," he said to the little astromech who whirred and beeped in response before rolling over and pugging itself into the ship.

Heading out of the cockpit Carth made his way to the cargo hold where he knew Rachel was training. He slipped his hand into his pocket and patted the small box there. He knew his timing wasn't perfect but he didn't want to delay asking her anymore.

Finally he reached the point where he could stand in the doorway to the cargo hold and watch her pummel the hell out of a punching bag. He watched her for several seconds as she slammed her tapped fists into the bag causing it to sway with every hit. The suddenly she stopped; looking up with a smile on her face as she wiped away some of her sweat from her face and took a drink of water.

"High Carth, care to spar," she said with a sly smile touching her lips.

Carth held up his hands, "No thanks. I'm still smarting from the last time," he said jokily. Rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous gesture he finally said, "Can we talk."

"Of course," she said the smiling slipping ever so subtly from her face as she took the tape off her hands, "Is something wrong?"

He shook his head, "No it's just we need to talk," then throwing a glance at Juhani and Bastila who were sparring he added, "alone. Our quarters?"

She nodded and he led her out and back to the room they shared. Actually they were her quarters as he had his own room but he never used it.

"Sit please," he said and she did. Carth noticed she had a worried look on her face so her leaned in to place a soft, quick kiss on her lips, "Rachel," he breathed pulling the velvet box from his pocket, "I love you and well…," he trailed off opening the case revealing a sapphire ring. Mentally he was kicking himself. He had planned a big elaborate speech but no her was all tongue tied… he felt like a teenager again.

He watched with some satisfaction as Rachel eyes went wide, "Its' beautiful," she said with amazement clear in her voice. Then she pursed her lips, "What's it for?"

He could have slapped himself in the face. Of course she wouldn't know Telosian customs. Clearing his voice he said, "When a man on Telos loves a woman and wants to spent the rest of his life with her then he buys her a ring. It's called an engagement ring."

Rachel blinked, "You want to marry me?"

XXX

Rachel felt like her chest was going to explode. Carth was asking her to marry him. She nodded and he kissed her gently before he took her right hand and slipped the ring on her third finger from the right. She felt happy, she realized, happier than she'd ever remembered feeling. If she was honest with herself she never expected to get married.

Images flashed through her mind of her and Carth together once the war was over. Maybe they could find some place to settle down. It was a strange thought she realized; that she'd find so much pleasure in the thought of a simple life with Carth and… maybe a couple of babies.

She looked at Carth, "Babies," she questioned in a strange tone. She'd never thought of herself as the type of woman that would make a good mother. Her entire life had been devoted to fighting, war, and death.

Carth looked startled for a second before a thoughtful expression crossed over his face, "I'm not sure what kind of father I'll be... I… didn't do very good the first time… with Dustil."

Rachel winced. She had vowed to help Carth rescue his son and she would or die trying. Still she didn't want to bring it up especially not now. She reached out with both arms and wrapped them around Carth's waist pulling him close to her, "You'll do fine," she whispered and she knew he'd make a wonderful father.

Kissing him she pulled him down on the bed.

XXX

_The horde of information stored on Malachor had provided a wealth of data regarding everything from ancient knowledge on Force to cryptic warnings of the future. After taking the fleet deep into the unknown regions of the galaxy to avoid attention from the Senate; the hunt for the Star Forge was on in earnest. _

_One of the clues left by Marka Ragnos led them in the direction of a world called Dromund Kaas, which unbeknownst to Revan or any other soul in the Republic was the center for power of the last mighty remnant of the old Sith Empire._

_As they headed for the world they were met emissaries from the Sith Emperor. Two mighty fleets hung in open space coolly regarding each other with weapons armed each with enough firepower to obliterate the other_

_High General Revan sat in her flagship's conference room flanked by Malak and her brother both of whom were arrayed in full battle regalia._

"_I don't like this Revan," Malak said for what seemed like the hundredth time. The large Jedi had been against this from the very beginning and now stood uneasily his hand on his saber._

"_I don't like it either," Revan admitted. The Sith… the "True Sith" of Marka Ragnos, Nado Shadow and Ludo Kressesh were the stuff of nightmares for every child in the Republic. Exar Kun's Sith were mere pretenders, co-opting their forbear's dark legacy… a mockery of a far greater evil._

_An evil whose emissaries were now on her ship._

_The doors, with a hiss, slid open and in strode two figures. Revan rose, a gesture to show they were equals… at least for now. They were both of similar height and they were both Sith… the species not the followers of a Force Religion. They had dark red skin the color of blood and tentacle like beards that hung from their faces. The left-hand Sith bowed low at the waist, "Greetings High General," he said in badly accented basic, "I am Lord Dakhan of the Emperor's Dark Council and I have come on behalf my Emperor to treat with thee."_

"_What do you want," Revan said diplomatically easing back into her chair and gesturing for him to take a seat._

_The Sith smiled revealing sharp pointed teeth, "General you've been abandoned by the Republic and you burned your bridges with the Jedi long ago."_

_Beneath her mask Revan frowned, "You're trying to make a point," she snapped tersely. In fact she already thought she knew what his point was… she just didn't like it._

_As if sensing the powerful ex-Jedi's displeasure the Sith Lord bowed his head in placating gesture, "My master," he said, "the Emperor of the Sith has watched you far afar for some time now. He is greatly impressed with your skill as a commander. He offers you a position of power, a seat on the Dark Council in exchange for your fealty and the fealty of your forces."_

"_It's a most generous offer," Revan said carefully leaning forward to place her elbows on the table. Malak spluttered in indignation but Revan waved him off with a stern movement._

_Standing up she let her hand fall to her saber, "I fought and bled for protect the galaxy," Revan said in a condescending tone, "What makes you think I'd now turn it over to your Emperor," pointing towards the door Revan snarled, "Get off my ship!"_

"_You're making a mistake," the Sith Lord growled, "my master will destroy you and the Republic for your arrogance!"_

_Revan laughed harshly, "If he could do that so easily he wouldn't need me."_

XXX

Rachel lay nestled up against Carth reviling in the warmth of his bare chest and the feeling of safety, security and contentment he invoked. She smiled looking up and opened her mouth to speak when the ship rocked and they were thrown from bed.

Cursing violently Rachel staggered to her feet and found her comm link, "Canderous," she roared into the tiny device, "What the hell happened," as she was shouting she pulled one of Carth's undershirts over her bare chest.

A slew of curses issued from the link before Canderous finally answered, "We've been pulled out of Hyperspace by a Sith Interdictor Cruiser," the ship rocked again and the inertial dampeners struggled to compensate for Canderous's evasive maneuvers, "If you two are done fracking… would you mind getting the hell up here!"

Rachel turned to Carth and saw he was already slipping on his boxers. Rushing over to her drawer she pulled out a pair of panties and a pair of workout pants to go with them. Once mimimly they scrambled out of their room and dashed towards the cockpit.

Reaching the cockpit Rachel came to a skidding halt just in time to see a Sith fighter flyby the main window only to explode seconds later, "Your psycho droid's on the guns," Canderous explained extraditing himself from the pilot's chair so Carth could take over.

"Dammit," Carth cursed as he worked at the _Ebon Hawk_'s controls. The whole ship shuttered and Rachel was barely able to keep herself from being thrown into a wall, "We're caught in a tractor beam," he said with a frustrated shake of his head, "I could redline the engines and all we'd do is burn them out."

Suddenly Rachel noticed a dark frown cross Carth's face as his leaned back in his chair, "What is it?"

"It's the _Leviathan_," he said slowly crossing his arms as the massive bulk of the Sith Cruiser slid into view, "Saul Karath's ship… my old mentor."

Rachel leaned forward to get a better look out the viewport. The _Leviathan_ was the flagship of the Sith Fleet and the personal command of Admiral Saul Karath a famed hero of the Mandalorian War and the highest ranking Republic military officer to defect to the Sith. He was also responsible for carrying out Malak's order to destroy Telos, Carth's homeworld as well as his own. In the process he'd killed Carth wife, took his son away and made her love's life a living hell.

In her mind that made the admiral a man marked for death.

"Rachel, Carth what's going on," Bastila shouted from the doorway.

"We're in trouble," Rachel answered dryly pointing to the cruiser taking up the window, "tell everyone to head to the main chamber. We need a plan."

XXX

"Admiral Karath," a crisp voice came over his comm. Saul Karath blinked himself awake angrily cursing at being interrupted in the middle of his sleep cycle, "Karath here." He was regretting his standing order to call him to the bridge whenever a ship was caught in their spider web.

So far all they managed to snag was a handful of freighters and a few yachts; they were all released after their identities were confirmed with the warning to keep quiet. So far they'd all been smart enough not to cross the Sith.

"We've pulled a ship from hyperspace, Dynamic-class freighter," here was a pause, "running under the transponder _Ebon Hawk_."

Karath felt his heart speed up. That was the ship they were hunting for, her ship, "Lock that ship in a tractor beam. Don't let it get away," he ordered as he finished dressing in his uniform. There could be no mistakes. He didn't want to think of what Malak would do if he found out that he'd let them escape.

It took the Admiral of the Sith Fleet less than three minutes to reach the bridge of the Leviathan, "Report," he ordered straightening his uniform.

"We have them sir," the ship's Captain called confidently as he walked up to the admiral, "we're reeling them in now."

Karath nodding look out into space his eyes relentlessly searching for the small shape of a _Dynamic_-class freighter, "I want ship's entire marine complement standing by in the hanger bay," he said dead serious, "Tell them I want no chances."

The Captain saluted crisply and made to carry out his orders. As he did Karath found himself staring out the window at the small brown freighter the _Leviathan_'s tractor beams were pulling in. It was going to be an odd reunion of sorts meeting her and Carth after all this time.

It was strange, the Admiral thought. To meet them again after what had happened and somehow he didn't think it would be a reunion that he would walk away from. He'd considered Carth like a younger brother once upon a time and Carth considered him like an older one. She… she had trusted him and had let him into her inner circle into a select group of people… very powerful people. Now Carth hated him with a passion and he didn't actually blame the man. As for her… he'd be lucky if she let him die quickly.

Moving to the comm station he got the attention of the duty officer, "Contact lord Malak and tell we have them."

"Yes sir."

XXX

Let me get this right…," Canderous said with disbelief clear in his voice, "You wanna surrender… you gotta be kidding me!"

"Rachel's right," Bastila said coming to Rachel's defense, "we can't fight all of them and hope to win."

"So we throw ourselves on their mercy," Carth shouted angrily, "You know what they did to Taris… to Telos! The Sith murdered my world and Karath was at the head of the fleet. That traitorous bastard took everything from me and a lot off other people that day and I am not gonna miss the chance to take a shot at him."

Looking at her lover Rachel said softly, "I'll do everything I can to make sure you get that chance Carth," she knew he'd been gunning for the Admiral ever since Taris.

"All this talk of revenge is a bit premature… don't you think," Bastila said haughtily looking back between Rachel and Carth, "we still haven't even thought of a means of escape yet."

There was silence for a few seconds until Rachel spoke up again pinching the bridge of her nose in thought, "We… meaning myself, Carth and Bastila won't be able to do anything. They'll be watching us like a Neimoidian watches his purse," she said placing her hands on her hips, "That means it'll be up to the rest of you to save our sorry asses… ideas," she finished spreading her hands apart.

Mission to Rachel pride and dread was the first to speak up, "I could hide on the ship with my stealth field generator and when they leave I could sneak out and free you guys," the young Twi'lek said excitedly.

"That's not gonna work," Rachel said quickly, "The Sith will swept the ship with a fine tooth comb. There's no way you'll be able to hide," plus she didn't want to put Mission in that kinda danger, "any other idea's."

Canderous had one that involved nearly killing himself, she nixed that one right away, Juhani and Jolee wanted to try to use the Force to fool the guard in order to get away but Rachel didn't like that plan either. Dark Jedi wouldn't be so easily fooled and if any of the troopers had training against Force influence things could get problematic.

"Suggestion," the copper colored assassin droid spoke up, "If this unit is deactivated the Sith may attempt to repurpose it for their own use."

"You mean they'll try to reprogram you," Mission asked, "how would handing the Sith an assassin droid help us."

"Proud statement: My construction includes a reserve memory chip and back-up power supply that automatically kicks in if I've been shut down for too long. After they wipe my memory banks an attempt to reprogram me my systems will reactivate. Then I can come and rescue you… slaughtering any meatbags who get in my way," the machine finished gleefully.

The _Ebon Hawk _screeched violently as it was pulled into the cruiser's hanger bay. Cursing violently Rachel said, "Alright that seems to be the best option," she sighed throwing a glance upward towards the ceiling and the cruiser beyond.

There was a thump as the _Ebon Hawk_ landed on the hanger deck of the _Leviathan. _Moments after that a booming, obviously amplified voice shouted, "Come out with your hands up!"

Frowning Rachel took the time to study the faces of her crew, "Alright people all we have to do is survive," she said catching their eyes, "for the moment that's all that matters."

One by one they all nodded and Mission ran up and wrapped Rachel in a hug to which Rachel responded by wrapping her own arms around the girl, "It'll be fine Mission don't worry."

XXX

From the observation station situated overlooking the hanger Admiral Saul Karath watched events unfold. He wasn't surprised when they surrendered without a fight. She would have known what Karath actions would be and that any fight would be a suicidal gesture at best.

It was a comical slight he realized looking down into the hanger bay. Nearly a hundred and fifty Sith Marines stood on the deck their weapons trained on the small group of individuals that exited the freighter.

Lifting the comm link to his lips, "Careful Major," he said talking to the commander of the detachment, "make sure the Force-Users are properly collared, especial the blonde female human."

"Yes Sir," the major's voice said back over the channel, "shall we take them to the detention level?"

"Yes," Karath said looking down, "and take Captain Onasi, Jedi Shan and the blonde Jedi to the interrogation cell. Have Petty Officer Kaman meet me there as well." The Duros sergeant was a particularly nasty member of Naval Intelligence who specialized in interrogation; he no doubt prove useful.

"Yes Sir."

Turning to the two silver armored marines standing guard at the door, "Let's get a move on boys."

"Where to Admiral," the marine with a corporal's chevrons on his arm said.

"The interrogation chamber," the Admiral said a trace of melancholy in his voice, "to greet an old friend… two actually."

During the walk to the detention level the Admiral found himself thinking back on years past. Revan and Malak had saved the Republic from the Mandalorians; of that he had no doubt and yet the Senate responding by trying to bring Revan home in chains. That was the moment he decided that he could no longer serve the Galactic Republic.

He never questioned his allegiance to Revan… not till Telos when Malak ordered the destruction of that world… his homeworld. That said he hadn't lived on Telos for nearly a decade but still. What had shocked him even more than the act itself was Darth Revan's response. On the surface she reprimanded Malak but did no more than that.

At first he wondered if it had something to do with the fact that Malak shared Revan's bed, but as rumors began to circulate he became less certain of that. Whispers spread among the most senior officers of the fleet that Revan had in fact ordered the attack… he still wasn't sure what the truth was.

He came to the interrogation chamber where two marines stood guard. They snapped to attention as the Admiral entered the chamber his own guards trailing in behind him. As he entered he saw them sitting in Force cages along the far wall.

"Admiral," the red-eyed Duros said respectfully from behind the control panel of the cages.

Karath gave the interrogator a slight nod before turning his attention on his prisoners letting his gaze sweep through them before coming to a rest on Carth, "It's been far too long since we last spoke," and that was true it had been a couple of years, "past few months have not been kind to you I see."

As he spoke something caught his eye careful so as not to draw attention he glanced over at her. He barely managed to keep from falling over when he saw she had a Telosian engagement ring on her right hand ring finger, "I barely recognized you," he continued forcing himself to look back at Carth.

Carth's answer was far more controlled than he would have thought, "But I recognize you Saul," he said calmly speaking as if what he was saying already fact, "and I'll see you every night until I kill you."

Saul… Admiral Karath regarded his onetime friend carefully, "It brought me no pleasure to destroy Telos Carth," he said clasping his hands behind his back, "Lord Malak gave me an order. A good soldier obeys his orders, Carth, despite his personal beliefs."

"You murdered my wife, Saul," Carth snarled heatedly, "I will kill you for that!"

The Sith Admiral grinned and looked pointedly at the beautiful blonde woman glaring up at him, "Well, well it appears you've traded up… she's," throwing a pointed barb he continued, "much prettier than Morgana… maybe you should thank me."

XXX

If she could've Rachel would have killed the Admiral with her bare hands for that remark. Carth surged forward only to hit the energy wall of the cage and fall back with a pained groan.

"You son of bitch," Carth snarled, "One of us is gonna die today Saul and it won't be me!"

As the Admiral spoke Rachel wondered how he knew about her and Carth when it hit her, the ring. The admiral was from Telos so he must know what it meant. She cursed herself internally, she should have taken it off or hidden it instead she gave the admiral something he could use against them.

"It doesn't matter anyway," Rachel heard Karath looking over to her and Bastila, "Lord Malak is far more interested in your Jedi companions. He has… plans for them," he finished in a tone that sent shivers down her spine.

"We will never serve Malak or the Dark-side," Bastila said with all the Jedi serenity her kind were famous for, "The Sith will be destroyed, Admiral Karath… as will if you don't turn from this path."

The old Admiral right eyebrow rose in amusement, "Your words our brave Bastila, but the lure of the Dark-side is hard to resist, or so I'm told," he said with a chuckle, "I wonder if you friends are as devoted to the Jedi and Republic as you," he finished with a significant glance in Rachel's direction.

"Hell," Rachel said calmly, "I've got no more loyalty to the Republic and the Jedi than you do, but I'm not going to betray my friends."

Karath's lip twitched, "I'm sure Lord Malak will find that amusing. I'm also sure the Dark Lord would reward me greatly if I killed you now, but," he said drawing out the word as if he greatly regretted saying it, "he'll probably wish to question you himself given all the trouble you caused him and… the history between you two."

Blinking unable to make sense of what he had just said, "What history," she questioned throwing a look at Carth who had a similar look of confusion. Bastila… however didn't look confused, she just looked terrified. Rachel frowned a lump forming in her throat as she looked back up at Karath who had an expression of utter amazement on his face.

"You mean you don't know," the Admiral intoned incredulously. Then letting out a cold chuckle he continued, "You really have no idea what's going on," another cold chuckle, "Oh this is perfect. Well I won't be the one to ruin Lord Malak's fun."

Something was wrong, more so than them being in a Sith interrogation room. Rachcel had the feeling that she was missing something, something of critical importance. She'd had the feeling more than once but when nothing ever came from it she put it out of mind

"Lord Malak will no doubt torture you for the information he seeks," he said matter-of-factly, "Unfortunately Malak is in another sector at the moment so I will have to fill in for him," with that he waved a hand at the Duros.

"Frack," Rachel cursed as the Duros threw a switch. She braced herself but nonetheless let out a scream of pain as electricity arched up from the floor running through the length of her body. The electricity ceased and she collapsed to the floor, panting and sweating in pain. Pushing herself back up she saw that she wasn't the only one to get a shock as Bastila and Carth were both on the floor as well.

"Enough," Karath said to the torturer, "I don't want them to pass out before I can question them," then looking back at Rachel, "That was an object lesson," the Admiral continued crouching down so he was at her eye-level, "for every question of mine you don't answer, Carth will receive a shock in increasing increments," he tilted his head to look at her lover and fiancé, "till it kills him."

Rachel ground her teeth, but made no sound, till the Admiral lifted his hand again, "Fine," she shouted out. Karath had them by the throat and he knew it and she wasn't about to risk his life. Besides there wasn't a whole lot about the Jedi or the Republic she knew about, "Shoot."

Karath stood up a pleased look crossing his face, "Smart choice," he said.

"Rachel," Carth groaned struggling to sit up, "Don't tell him anything."

"You should be thankful Carth," the Admiral said admonishingly, "She's saving you a great deal of pain. Now," he continued on looking back at her, "Where is the location of the Jedi academy on which you trained?"

Rachel grit her teeth. She didn't like the Jedi, not by any stretch of the imagination but she didn't like the idea of betraying them. She looked over at Carth who was pleading at her with his eyes not to say anything. Then something hit her; remembering that the Jedi Master told her that Revan and Malak had both trained on Dantooine. She frowned wondering why he was asking a question to which he already knew the answer. Looking up at the Admiral she said calmly, "Dantooine."

"Rachel, be silent," Bastila screamed, a crack showing in her Jedi composure.

Karath looked surprised but quickly covered it, "It doesn't matter," he continued with a dismissive wave of his hand, "Dantooine has been laid to ruin and the Jedi who reside there, slain."

"That's a lie," Bastila snarled as tears leaked down her cheeks.

Somehow Rachel didn't think it was a lie, the academy on Dantooine was extraordinarily important to the Jedi as it was the second largest training ground for them outside the Temple on Coruscant itself. Actually she wondered why it wasn't attacked by before now, the Jedi garrison couldn't have held out for long, as depleted as it was.

"Now," he continued his eyes hard, "What plan were the Jedi using to try to stop Lord Malak and our Armada."

Again that was a question to which he already had to know the answer. Hell the Sith had sent Calo Nord to kill her on Tattooine and that Sith Lord had nearly ran her through on Kashyyyk. Somehow Rachel didn't think just anyone rated a personal assassination attempt from a Sith Lord. Plus the fact that the Admiral of the Sith Fleet had personally laid a trap for them… lead to one indisputable conculsion, they already knew.

"Quite playing games with me Karath," Rachel said pointedly glaring up at him, "What do you really want?"

Karath pursed his lips before chuckling, "Should've known," he said cryptically, "I have no further questions," he said after a while, "but I'm sure Lord Malak will have some. Petty Officer they're all yours," he finished with a dismissive nod.

Rachel watched the admiral leave with a feeling of dread growing in the pit of her stomach. Turning her gaze on the torturer she groaned as he grinned savagely, "Ya know Jedi," he said darkly speaking to Rachel, "I lost a lot of friends 'cause of you on the _Spire_." She barely had time to scream before a cascade of lightening arched over and through her body.

XXX

REINITIALIZING MAIN CORE

UPLOADING MEMORY FILES FROM HARD COPY

RUNNING SYSTEM CHECKS

1 OF 1739

2 OF 1739

….

1739 OF 1739

RUNNING INTERAL WEAPON CHECKS

FLAMETHROWER: Removed

MAGNETIC ACCELERATOR CANNON: Disabled

MINI-ROCKETS: Inoperable

GAS DISPENSERS: Empty

…

MAIN SYSTEM RESTORE

INITIATING UNIT REBOOT

MAIN POWER ONLINE

PRIMARY DIRECTIVE: Rescue Master and her meatbag friends

SECONDARY DIRECTIVE: Obtain ship schematics

ENGAGE

XXX

With primary power and memory restored HK-47 rose like the dead from the workbench he had been left on. A quick scan of the room revealed he was alone. If the droid could feel annoyance he would have been quite annoyed at the technicians who worked on him for disabling his internal weapon systems. Still HK-47 didn't need weapons to be deadly.

The door to the maintenance bay slid open and in walked a pale young technician furiously jabbing at his datapad. Looking up the young man looked startled to see that droid standing, "Hey droid," he shouted confused, "What the hell are you doing… lay back down."

"Determined statement: I think not," HK said and before the young man could shout the droid using his hydraulically powered legs burst forward and snapped the Sith's neck, "Your electronic butchery is at an end," and he let the cooling corpse fall to the ground with a thump.

Moving quickly out of the maintenance bay and into the hall HK-47 strode like a normal protocol droid just going about his routine. He pasted two Sith naval personal without them noticing him as he searched for an interface terminal.

If he was human he would have let out a sigh of relief as he found an open terminal without anyone around. Coming to the terminal he held out his right hand and an opening appeared in his palm and a thin data jack cable slid out. Taking the jack he plugged himself into the terminal and set about his work hacking the system.

In this effort he was added by two things. One, the Sith's firewalls and computer security protocols were designed to stop an external wireless hack during combat not an internal hack. That said there were still watch dog programs guarding all main systems even from within the ship which led to the second thing. HK wasn't attempting to access main systems like propulsion, navigation, Fire control or life support; instead he infiltrated the program used by the ship's mouse droids for their cleaning routes and assignments.

Using the information he gathered he computed a fairly detailed map of the ship's interior and the locations he sought. HK-47 jerked his head up and spun around as his audio-receptors picked up footfalls.

Two Sith Marines were coming down the hall cradling their rifles in their arms. The droid's mind did a thousand calculations in a few seconds before coming up with the most appropriate response, "Hey what'd do you think you're doing," the lead marine called out.

HK-47 tilted his head and tried to look as innocent as he could with a featureless face, "Innocent Response: Lieutenant Schmidt requested that I run a systems check on the mouse droid program," the droid said giving a one of the most common Corulagian surname and given Corulag's reputation for producing soldiers it was likely that at least one served on the ship.

The two marines looked at one another; though there expressions were concealed it was easy to guess what they were thinking, "Hold on let me check," the one marine raising his hand to his helmet.

The second marine titled his head, "What kind of-" but he never got any further than that as HK lashed out catching the unfortunate man in the throat sending him to the ground gasping. The first marine shouted out and fumbled for his rifle. HK caught the second marine's rifle before it hit the ground and bashed the survivor's skull in.

Dropping the now useless rifle, as the stock had been shattered when he smashed it into the durasteel helmet he grabbed the first marine's weapon. Quickly the machine scanned the area and when no alarms were sounded he slung the rifle over his shoulder and stuffed the bodies into a utility closet.

Stealthily moving down the hallway the assassin droid dodged patrols and crewmen on his way to the dentition center. Two guards stood outside the dentation center. Raising his rifle HK-47 took two perfect shots dropping both guards before they could get off a sound. Fishing through their pockets he quickly found a key card and opened the door.

"Cocky declaration: Good morning meatbags. I am here to rescue you!"

Canderous was the first one off his ass and shouted with approval on the edge of his voice, "Nice work tin man. Rachel and the rest are in the interrogation chamber."

XXX

_Revan Skirta the newly christened Dark Lord of the Sith stood on the observation deck of the Star Forge glazing out at the mighty fleet that lay before her. Over the last few months since she had seized the forge she'd begun to put her plans into full motion. Already nine-tenths of the Outer-Rim had joined her publicly or privately. As she expected the Republic paid no heed to the worlds of the Outer-Rim and those few officers and officials of the Republic's Outer-Rim garrisons who were in a position to notice belonged to her._

_Her mind was so occupied by thousands of calculations, plans and strategies that she didn't notice when Malak came up from behind her, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. Revan bit back annoyance at her lover's antics and was thankful that the observation deck was deserted._

_Spinning around in his arms she kissed him hard. Malak had changed even more so since the end of the Mandalorian Wars. They'd both hardened during that conflict. They had become more ruthless and less compassionate, but during their hunt for the forge he'd withdrawn deeper from her. They were still inmate fairly often, but during their encounters they'd become more frenzied and violent until Revan had felt like she was making love to a stranger._

_She broke her kiss and looked hard into his eyes. The love she'd seen in his before all this started was gone. Angrily breaking away from she ordered, "Enough Malak," and he didn't stop she pushed him back repeating, "That's enough," and when he still didn't back off she slugged him across the face._

_Malak wiped away the blood dripping from his mouth and growled, "What's the matter lover you've liked it rough before?"_

"_Watch your mouth," she snarled feeling a build of dark energy inside her, "or you might just lose it!"_

_Malak snarled right back and let his hand drop to his saber on his belt. _

_Drawing both hers Revan ignited them in a blood red flurry of light. In seconds the two Sith Lords stood circling each other before they clashed in a shower of sparks. Malak struck out with his considerable muscle intent on smashing Revan into submission. If she tried to meet his blows strike for strike he'd quickly overpower her, as physically he was much stronger than her. Using her superior speed, agility and swordsmanship she bled off the energy from his blows by redirecting it away from her and not meeting it head on._

_Constantly giving ground like the Temple's swordmaster she let him vent. Malak's greatest weakness had always been his temper. As the fight wore on Malak's temper, as Revan hoped, soared until he was snarling at her like some wild creature. This was the great drawback of the Dark-Side, while the powers it gave were great those who couldn't command it were consumed by it._

_Finally sensing an opening Revan struck, bisecting his saber, and with a swirl she planted her boot in his chest knocking him flat on his back. Stepping on his throat with her boot she stared down at him in contempt._

"_Never forget I am more powerful than you," she said in a deathly quiet tone. He'd grown more and more insubordinate of late and the logical part of her mind said to kill him now. Something however stayed her hand… it took her a few seconds of self-reflection to realize that it was the love that she still held for him that stayed her hand. Despite everything that happened she still loved him, "Don't cross me again."_

XXX

"Rachel… Rachel….Rachel," a voice droned as the young Mandalorian blinked herself back to full consciousness, "Wake up gods-dammit!"

Her head pounding Rachel gingerly sat up. Looking around her senses quickly came back to her and she realized that she was in an interrogation chamber on the _Leviathan_, "Carth," she called out or at least tried to but her mouth was completely dry. Working some moisture back in she tried again with more success, "Carth?"

"Thank the Force you're alright," her lover said with feeling, "I was terrified you won't wake up."

"The interrogator took most of his frustration out on you," Bastila added looking down at her, a hint of thankfulness in her tone that she almost ashamed of.

"We're a long way from alright Carth," Rachel said with morbid humor, "we are after all on the Sith flagship and Malak's on the way."

"Seems all our hope rest on that psychotic droid of yours," Bastila said harshly, "What do you think the chances are," she finished with a glance at Rachel.

There was a hissing sound and the doors slid open revealing said psychotic droid, "Seems the chances are very good," Carth said slight sardonic smiling.

"Prideful Boast: Master your faithful droid is here to rescue you and your meat bag companions from certain death at the hands of the Sith," the rust colored droid intoned shutting down the force-field.

Rachel slowly got to her feet flexing her muscles as she felt the Force flood back into her, "Weapons," she barked at the droid, "Armor?"

The droid tilted back through the door he'd just come through, "Informative Statement: The Sith collected all your equipment and stored in the secure locker room."

"Good," Rachel said rolling her head, "I'm spoiling for a fight," she could feel the Force swirling around her like a storm cloud ready to burst. She clenched her hand and felt the air crackle around it she could feel the darkness and was prepared to call on it if need be.

"Alright everyone listen up," Rachel called out as she walked out of the cell brushing off Mission's concern. The girl's pained look hurt, but they didn't have the time, "Bastila, Carth and I are gonna fight are way up onto the bridge to disengage the lockout on the _hawk_," she barked, "Canderous I want you to take everyone else and fight your way back to the ship."

She paused looking at each of them in turn, "Listen we don't have time for speeches. Malak is on the way I'd rather not be here when that circus reject gets here," she said with a smile drawing a laugh from Jolee and Mission, "Move out!"

Rachel gathered up all her gear while Bastila and Carth did the same. Carth came up to her and hesitantly asked, "Rachel are you sure you're alright. I've notice you're limping."

Waving him off Rachel smiled ignoring the fact that he was right and she was hurting. Moving quickly they dashed through the halls of the Sith Cruiser eliminating the scattered patrols they came up against. Rachel moved and fought like a demon as the team advanced using the Force as a wrecking ball to tear her way through the Sith.

Finally they came to a rest just outside the blast doors to the bridge.

"Saul is mine," Carth said vehemently slapping a fresh power pack into his blaster pistols and aimed a pointed look at Rachel.

Rachel knew the desire for revenge that burned in Carth. Nodding she said softly, "He's all yours," a slight grimace touched her lips as a small amount of fear built up inside her chest, "but be careful he's not worth dying for."

Carth looked thoughtful, "Maybe some time ago I'd of been willing to die to kill Saul," be he said looking up at her and ran his thumb down her cheek, "I've got something else to live for now."

"This is charming," Bastila interrupted, "but we have more pressing matters at hand."

Rachel threw the younger woman an annoyed glare before getting back on task, "Bastila we're gonna need to cut are way through this door," Bastila nodded and the pair took up their positions and dug their sabers into the sides of the blast door. Moving in a semi-circular motion they sliced their way through the thick blast door.

Finishing their cuts they used the Force to push the cut section through. Rachel, her sabers held in a defensive fashion, stepped through the opening with Bastila and Carth behind her.

Twenty Sith Marines stood, the ten in the first row were on a knee while the ten behind the stood, their weapons trained. At the back of the bridge flanked by two hooded and cloaked Dark Jedi stood Admiral Saul Karath. The admiral had his hands clasped behind him with a holstered pistol on his belt and looked extremely pale, "Carth…you and your friends are beginning to annoy me."

"This is it Saul," Carth said firmly, "this is the day you pay for all the lives you destroyed!"

"Be reasonable Carth, innocents die in war," Karath tried to explain, "my orders were to destroy Telos… and like a good soldier I obey my orders. I didn't want to do it, but… I had my orders."

"That's enough Admiral," Rachel shouted back, "It ends here," turning to Bastila and Carth she commanded, "Hold on," and she gathered the Force to here and threw a massive wave of Force energy towards the Admiral.

The wave crashed through the marines like a wrecking ball going through a greenhouse scattering them in all different directions. The Dark Jedi hastily threw up a shield to protect the Admiral and it would have worked if the Admiral had he been the target. However Rachel's targets were the transparisteel windows behind them. The windows shattered from the force of the attack exposing the bridge to the vacuum of space. The scattered marines who were scrambling to stand were sucked out the window screaming as they flew into the void. They wouldn't and didn't die immediately but instead would most likely die when their O2 supply ran out.

"This was your plan… to kill us all," Bastila screamed as she held on to one of the ship's consoles.

Rachel just held on and waited. Seconds later there was a large hiss and a thump as the emergency doors slid close over the shattered windows and the bridge began to re-pressurize. Standing Rachel brandished her sabers, "Well that cuts down on the odds a little bit."

Breathing heavily Carth huffed, "Nice plan… could have given us a little warning."

"I did," she smirked as she advanced on the Admiral and his Dark Jedi bodyguards. As she got closer one of the guards stirred and with a flick of her wrist she decapitated him. The second Dark Jedi simply laid on his back breathing heavily and starring up at her.

"Mercy," the Dark Jedi whispered from beneath his face mask, eyes pleading. Rachel simply shook her head and stomped down hard on his throat.

Looking back at Carth she said, "All yours."

XXX

He couldn't believe it. He was so close to avenging his family and Telos. All this time a part of him… the logical part knew that his chances of revenge were slim at best. Now he stood over the man he's wanted to kill for so long. The Admiral was laying on the deck the stomach part of his uniform stained with blood. A piece of metal had come free during Rachel's Force attack and impaled him.

He looked up and saw that Rachel and Bastila were fiddling with the ship's systems. Kneeling down he grabbed ahold of the piece of metal and dug it deeper into Saul's chest. The admiral groaned and spurted up blood as his eyelids fluttered open.

Pistol whipping him across the face he growled, "Wake up Saul you're not getting out of this that easy. You're gonna pay," and he hit him again.

The admiral merely laughed before coughing up blood again, "You're still a damn fool," he shuttered, "you've got your vengeance on me but you've made a deal with the devil to get it."

Confusion colored Carth's features. A deal…. with the devil, did he mean the Jedi? "What the hell are you talking about?"

He spluttered blood, "The woman you've proposed to… that pretty little blonde of yours… you have no idea who she actually is do you… of course not."

Frustrated by his cryptic talk Carth hit him again the face with his weapon, "What are you talking about?"

"The woman you're about to marry… did you know she's the one killed your wife," he laughed, "she's… Revan… I have no idea how… or why, but she is I'd never forget her face."

"No that can't be true," Carth paled, that couldn't be true… or could it. Suddenly everything that had happened to them to far flashed before his eyes… her dreams, her abilities, and the fact that the Jedi would send her out with so little training. Still… he looked up at her as she typed furiously on the one of the terminals and suddenly he knew Saul was telling the truth as he imagined her in Revan's signature armor. Rachel… she was Revan and Bastila knew… she had to.

Suddenly Bastila caught his eyes and he threw a hard look at her. She frowned and looked down at the Admiral before a light seemed to snap on in her head. She paled and shook her head.

"You knew," Carth said disbelievingly, "You knew," he repeated his disbelief giving way to anger, "How could you not know!"

"Captain Onasi, now is not the time," Bastila repeated sternly.

Looking confused by all of this Rachel said confusion clear in her tone, "What's going on… what are you talking about…," she said looking at Carth .

"Shut up," he snapped at her. Despite his anger and rage a small part of his heart broke a bit when he saw a pained and hurt expression explode on her face.

"Uhm," she said looking down, "Ahh we need to go… to ahh get back to the _Hawk._"

XXX

"Listen blue," Canderous shouted over the roar of blaster-fire, "How's it coming with the _Hawk_." Shifting his aim he fired again, his cannon roaring over the din of combat. When they found the _Ebon Hawk_ the Sith were in the middle running a detailed diagnostic on the navi-computer. The trashcan and Mission were currently doing the best to reengage the ship's control systems so they could leave.

Canderous fired again dropping several Sith as they tried to storm the hanger, "Just a few more minutes Canderous," Mission shouted back over the comm. She paused slightly before continuing, "Heard anything from Rachel?"

"They're on their way," he said with the utmost confidence. She wouldn't fail… she didn't know how to fail.

XXX

Rachel skidded to halt her sabers raised, cursing her luck. They were almost there and now this. Before them stood Darth Malak Darth Lord of the Sith with his sulfurous eyes locked on hers, causing Rachel to shiver slightly.

Behind her Bastila hissed, "Darth Malak," and raised her saberstaff to an en-guard position.

"Down you go," Carth roared and fired his pistols.

"No," Rachel started to stay and tried to stop Carth, but Malak merely laughed and batted away the bolts with his bloodshine blade.

"I hope you're not thinking of leaving so soon not after I went so through so much trouble and spent far too much energy to track you down to let get away now," the Dark Lord chuckled darkly in a mechanical fashion, "Besides," he said locking his gaze back on her, "I had to see if for myself. Even now I can hardly believe it to be true," he intoned with a hint of amazement in his voice, "tell me… why did the Jedi spare you? Is it vengeance you seek at this reunion?"

Rachel frowned a terrible feeling growing in the pit of her stomach. Vengeance… reunion? What the hell was he talking about and what was that about the Jedi letting her live? Racking her brain, she couldn't even remember ever meeting Malak. She turned and found Carth still glaring at her. Ever since Karath died he'd been glaring at her like he wanted to kill her and for the life of her she couldn't figure out why? Moving on to Bastila she found the young Jedi looking extremely pale. What the hell was going on?

Clearing her suddenly congested throat she returned Malak gaze staring straight into his eyes and as she did she felt the slightest feeling of familiarity, "Reunion? I don't… what are you playing at?"

To her amazement Malak actually seemed to sag in relief, "So you don't know then… I suppose I should have figured as much," the Dark Lord said, "Though I have to wonder how long you'd have stayed oblivious to the truth. Some of what you were… what you are must have surfaced by now," he started to pace back and forth, his eyes still locked on her, "Even the combined power of the Council couldn't keep it buried forever, could it.

To Rachel it felt like her head exploded, as if some great dam had burst in her mind. The dreams all came back to her and this time they didn't fade when she woke up. All Revan's memories flooded over and suddenly with a shock she realized that they weren't Revan's memories, they were hers… she was Revan. She remembered everything from her mother's murder on her father's orders to her duel with Bastila and Malak's betrayal. At some point during the flood of memories she had collapsed to her knees. When the pain subsided she stood slowly.

Taking a deep breath she opened her eyes, "This is between you and me, not them," she said with a tilt of her head. Biting her lip she looked back at her comrades and lashed out with the Force throwing them back a compartment and then sealing the door.

"Such loyalty," Malak growled sounding slightly surprised and annoyed, "You surprise me Revan. Tell me," he now adopted a far more mocking tone, "How are things with Captain Onasi by the way?"

Revan tensed how did her know about her and Carth? Then it hit her Karath must have sent off a report of his interrogation.

"Probably not very good all things considering," he said with a smirk in his voice and lashing out with his blood-shine saber he forced her back.

Riposting she spun her sabers in ever deadlier arcs of death. The Sith Lord however caught one of her sabers and using his massive bulk forced her back and followed up with his own powerful horizontal strikes.

As the fight dragged on Revan knew she couldn't last long. She was tired, weary, injured, and her muscles complained with every movement. As much as she hated to admit it Malak had grown more skilled in the time they'd been apart… and he was fresh.

"Agg," Revan grunted in pain as Malak caught her in the face with the back of his gauntleted hand sending her spinning to the ground. Before she could recover she felt Malak grab her by the collar, hoist her up and slam her into the wall pinning her against the hard cold durasteel.

"You know… a part of me always regretted betraying you from afar," he said his face just inches from hers, "I seemed so cowardly, though," he mused, "if I'd known it would have been this easy," he let the sentence trail off.

"Bad day," she said weakly as she felt her vision fade from the lack of air.

Malak said something that she didn't quite catch from her lack of oxygen before the pressure finally released and she fell to the ground gasping for air. Before she could do anything she felt strong arms hoist her up.

"Carth," she managed to get out finally managing to carry some of her own weight, "What happened?"

He didn't answer right away before he finally growled out, "Bastila… she's buying time."

Rachel squeezed her eyes shut in frustration. The poor dumb girl wouldn't stand a chance and if she was lucky Malak would kill her. Otherwise Malak would break her and turn her to his side. They rounded a corner and two shots flew by them slamming into the wall.

"Dammit," Carth swore as he moved them back into cover around the corner. Not so gently depositing against the wall he leaned around the edge he took several pot shots at the marines, "That's the way we need to go."

Using the wall to help push herself off she managed to stand. Letting out a curse she realized she didn't have her sabers. Leaning her head back she thumped her head against the bulkhead and laughed, she used to be the Force-damned Dark Lord of the Sith and High-General of the Republic and this wasn't going to be her end.

Channeling her frustration and anger at Malak and the Republic Revan called upon the Force deeper than "Rachel" ever knew she could. As the Sith say, "Fear leads to Anger, Anger leads to Hate, Hate leads to the Dark Side." That was exactly what she wanted. Rounding the corner Revan held out her right hand and let loose a storm of black lightening. The Force lightening arched down the corridor and slammed into the Sith frying them alive where they stood.

Panting she said, "Let's move."

XXX

"That was a very stupid thing you did," Malak said condescendingly as he slowly circled the young Jedi, "You cost me Revan… well at least I get you as a consolidation prize," she'd surprise him both in the fact that she come back for Revan and how well she fought.

Bastila struck out with a single saber, Rachel's… Revan's saber actually. Malak had destroyed her saberstaff about thirty seconds into the fight and she'd been forced to make do.

Malak effortlessly blocked the feeble strike by the wounded woman and lashed out with the Force, bashing through her defenses, and sending her flying into the wall. Stalking up her he grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the wall. Letting the unconscious jedi fall to the floor he turned in time to see three marines storm the room weapon's drawn.

"My Lord," the lead Marine with corporal chevrons, "Commander Maddox has reestablished control the secondary bridge," the NCO paused briefly before continuing, "he reports that the _Ebon Hawk _has escaped. He's given chase but we won't manage to overtake it before they make the jump to hyperspace."

Clenching his fist in anger Malak swore violently, "Get her back to her cell," he said referring to Bastila causing the NCO to bow quickly and ordered his men to grab her.

As Malak watched her them take Bastila way he turned a stormed off in the direction of the turbo-lift that would take him to the secondary bridge. He did he mused on this day's events. Again he had Revan in the palm of his hand and again she had escaped.

He also lost Karath and that was a lost he would feel deeply. Karath had been his most skilled and loyal flag level officer as well as a friend for a long time. Without Karath to plan his strategies Malak felt as if one of his arms had been severed.

The only positive result of this fiasco was that he now had Bastila, the Jedi's secret weapon, which went a small way to making this day better. Now all he had to do was turn her to his side and her Battle Meditation could he added to the might of his massive fleet. Then even Revan would be hard pressed to stop him.

XXX

They were safety away and had just made the jump to hyperspace. Now came the hard part Revan mused figuring out what to do with everyone else and with Carth. Leaning back in the chair she had slumped into in the main hold after they had gotten aboard she winced as pain shot through her body and muscles.

"Malak has Bastila," Juhani said worriedly, "This isn't good… what if he kills her."

"He won't kill her," Jolee argued confidently, "he'll want to turn her to the Dark-Side so he can use her against us."

"We need to go after her," Juhani shot back not wanting to leave behind a fellow Jedi.

"No not until we talk about what just happened," he shouted back glaring at Revan, "Are gonna tell them or do I have to do it?"

Revan looked up at him sadly. Hearing him talk to her with his voice full of anger and loathing caused her heart to constrict with grief. She still loved him and she was terrified that he had stopped loving her. In a way it made her angry as well… being this vulnerable.

"Tell us what," Mission asked looking quickly between Carth and Revan. She had to know something was wrong between them and that was making her upset. For as much as Revan considered Mission like a daughter she knew that Mission consider her like a mother.

"I'm Revan Skirta… the Revan Skirta," she explained upon seeing their confusion, "The former High General of the Republic turned Mandalore turned Dark Lord," she paused collecting her thoughts, "When the Jedi attacked my flagship I must have been wounded badly enough that the council thought they could control my mind."

"What," Mission stuttered, "is… is this some kinda of joke?"

Revan shook her head, "Afraid not," she said with a faltering smile.

"You're Darth Revan," she said in equal parts amazement and horror, "This… this is big. Do you… do you remember anything about being Revan?"

Revan felt her jaw twitch. They didn't understand, "I am Revan… I've always been Revan. It just didn't know it before. The Jedi… the Council needed my knowledge so they couldn't very well wipe my mind," she tried to explain, "So what they did was try to cover over… Rachel," she paused throwing a meaningful, sorrowful look at Carth, "never really existed. She was what I could have been under different circumstances."

"Everything Rachel felt," she said using her false identity for emphasis, "I feel… I still love you Carth," she said catching his eyes, "my feelings for you haven't changed."

Carth looked away from and didn't say anything as his hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. Mission however spoke quickly, "It doesn't matter," she said vehemently, "look what she's done for all of us already. She saved me and Zaalbar, Bastila and even you too Carth. She's earned our trust."

Revan smiled at Mission thankful for her defense.

Her lover however was not so easily swan, "Of course it matters," he shouted back at Mission throwing his arms up in the air, "are you all crazy. This… woman," he said accusingly pointing at Revan and she had the feeling that what he wanted to say was very, very unkind, "is a murderer and traitor! She turned on the Republic and the Jedi! She started a war that's nearly destroyed the Republic. She bombed Telos… my homeworld and killed my wife-,"

Canderous cut him off right there, "Hold on everyone knows Malak destroyed Telos you can't blame Revan for that."

Sighing sadly she cleared her throat, "That's, not entirely true."

"What part," Carth said darkly.

Revan didn't miss the fact that Carth's hand had drifted to his holstered weapon, "I gave the order to attack Telos. I didn't tell him to destroy it though," she said for clarification, a hint of anger tinting her tone, "In fact I told him to cause as little damage as possible. He was supposed to destroy the secret Jedi enclave at the planet's northern pole and then occupy the planet."

"There was a Jedi enclave on Telos," Juhani said skeptically, ever since the revelation she'd been warily eyeing her, "I've never heard of it?"

"You wouldn't have," Revan said bluntly, "it was a secret enclave meant to serve as a fall back point for the Jedi Archives. I ordered its destruction as an object lesson to the council that there was no place to hide."

"I can't believe this," Carth said continuing his rant. He looked ragged and Revan couldn't blame him, "All this time we've been fighting Malak we've had his old Master here with us listing to our plans, hearing our secrets."

"I won't apologize for being what… who I am," Revan said meeting his eyes, "whatever," she paused painfully, "… whatever love I may have held for Malak is gone. He's my enemy as much as he is yours," she laughed, "in fact he wants me dead more that he wants any of you."

"I don't see a Sith Lord standing in front of us," Mission argued suddenly turning around so she could talk to everyone else, "I see a friend who's stuck by us through thick and thin."

{I agree with Mission,} Zaalbar growled loudly, "{I swore a life-debt to you whether you call yourself Rachel or Revan.}

"Big Z and I are with you Rachel," Mission stated before frowning, "ahh… Revan."

Canderous stepped forward and thumped his right hand over his heart in a Mandalorian salute, "My Lord Mandalore," and that pretty much summed up Canderous's loyalty issues, "you, against all odds, defeated Mandalore the Ultimate in the Mandalorian Wars. Everyone you've ever faced as fallen before you. I will serve you in all you ask."

That she'd been expecting. The Mandalorians practically worshiped her after all.

Juhani from the back of the room spoke out, "I am… uneasy about this," she said shifting her weight and not meeting Revan's gaze, "You were… are a Sith. Revan you served the Dark-Side of the Force… I don't know," she paused, "but as long as you fight the Sith I have no objections."

The droids would continue to serve, they had no choice they were programmed to be loyal. That just left Jolee and Carth. Turning to Jolee Revan said with a touch of curiosity in her tone, "What about you Jolee? You were the only one here who knew who I really was?"

With that everyone looked at the old man in shock. Jolee just shrugged in response, "It wasn't my secret to tell," becoming serious he continued, "Revan the aura of destiny, despite your near death, has never left you. You still have a part to play in this tale for good or for ill. I'll stay to help you however I can."

"I can't believe you all," Carth shouted throwing his hands up in disbelief.

"Carth," Revan started pleadingly.

"Don't you speak to me," he threated pointing a finger at her and then turned on his heel and stormed out of the room.

Revan started to go after him when HK said, "Confused Statement: Something strange is happening."

"Oh," she said right before she left the room, "I built HK."

XXX

_Entry from __**Revan's commentaries on the Mandalorian and Jedi Civil Wars**_

_The fact that the Sith Empire… the True Sith Empire still existed after all this time was terrifying and it only reinforced my beliefs about what I had to do. The Republic had barely managed to stand against the Mandalorian clans how would they stand against the Lords of the Sith. I'd seen what lay ahead and I knew the Republic led by the Senate couldn't stand against them._

_When the Star Forge came under my control it was no longer 'if' there would be a war, but when. With the Mandalorian War's end the Republic withdrew from the Outer-Rim leaving behind a few garrisons on strategically important worlds. The Republic unwillingness to help the Outer-Rim worlds rebuild only further alienated them further. Therefore it is no surprise that they would quickly flock to my banner. _

_With the Republic interest focused on repairing the damage the Mandalorians had caused and since the commanders of the Republic Garrisons loyal to me I had merely free reign in the Outer-Rim. Within months the ground-work for my empire was laid, my fleet and armies grew exponentially as recruits flooded in from all over the rim. _

_Within a year I had assembled an Army and a Navy comparable to the Republic. The die was cast and I was poised to begin._


	14. Chapter 13: The Grip of the Black Hand

Chapter 13: The Grip of the Black Hand

Revan Skirta the former High General, disposed Dark Lord of the Sith and technically still the current Mandalore stood outside the door to Carth's quarter. He had had his own quarters ever since they'd come onboard the ship, but ever since they'd become involved they had shared a room. Gazing down longingly at the sapphire bejeweled ring that adorned her finger she gathered her courage.

Pushing her way into his room she looked around and found Carth sitting on his bed still in his armor. He held his head in his hands and empty body of whisky laid on the floor, "Carth we need to talk," Revan said firmly standing in the door way.

"Go away," he replied monotone.

"I can't," closing her eyes she continued, "We need to talk… about us."

"There is no 'us'," he said glaring up at her, "There never was an us."

Revan shook her, "You loved me," she said her voice breaking slightly, "you can't hide what you felt for me… not from me."

He seemed to mule over her words for several minutes, "I loved Rachel you're not her… not Rachel," he finally admitted slurring his words slightly.

"She never existed," Revan countered tersely before softening her tone, "It was always me… It was always me."

"You're a monster," he said finality clear in his tone. Looking away from her he reached for another bottle.

Slapping away the bottle quicker than he thought she could, she reached down and hoisted him up by his collar. "If I'm such a monster than here," she snarled slamming his blaster into his hand. Placing her hands on his she moved it up until the barrel of the blaster was pressed firmly between her breasts, "shoot me. End it right here and now, but you won't because somewhere deep down you know what I'm staying is true."

Carth looked stunned. They starred at each other for several long seconds and the thought flickered through Revan's mind that perhaps she had made the wrong choice. Her heart dropped into her stomach when she saw Carth's face hardened.

Click… the blaster was empty.

A cry of pain escaped Revan's lips as the realization slammed into her with the force of an asteroid striking planet-side… Carth add just tried to kill her. If her mind was thinking more critically at the moment she would have noted the sardonic fact that the two men she's ever loved, Malak and Carth, had both tried to kill her.

Tears streaming down her face she slapped the pistol away and slugged him right across the face. Carth who appeared too stunned by his actions to resist took it without flinching. She hit him again and again, "You bastard," she cried and spun on her heels and make a b-line for the door. Just before she crossed it she stopped. Looking back down at the ring, which had symbolized their love, she angrily tore it from her finger and threw it at him.

Storming out of Carth's room and into the hallway she made it about halfway to her quarters before she felt her knees buckle. Collapsing to the deck she supported herself on the wall while pulling her legs into her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Finally she let out all the anguish and turmoil that built up inside her. She wept freely, tears rolling down her face as she choked out ragged sobs. She wept for everything she lost but never took the time to mourn. She wept for her mother, her lost childhood, for her childhood friend and first love Malak and most of all for the love that looked like it had died, Carth.

"Revan are you alright," a hesitant voice asked. A voice Revan recognized as belonging to Mission. Looking up she saw, through teary eyes, the little blue girl standing at the end of the corridor with a concerned look on her face.

Revan's first ingrained instinct was to deny that anything was wrong. Normally she would have… she was a big girl who could handle herself, but now she didn't feel like she could, "No it's not alright," she brokenly admitted.

Mission came up and set down next to her gingerly resting her head of Revan's shoulder, "What happened… something with Carth?"

She nodded, "I love him Mission," she didn't elaborate on the fact that he would have killed her as she didn't want Mission to know that, "but," she left it hanging.

Mission hugged her tight and said, "If Carth doesn't recognize what good thing he's got than he's a fool."

Revan didn't say anything else and took comfort in the presence of a friend; she'd only had few of those in her life, as she cried.

XXX

"They escaped… you're sure of it," Jaster Skirta the Commanding General of the Black Hand said impatiently. When he learned that Karath had captured Revan and her comrades he'd felt a cold wave of fear descend over him. He and his staff had spent the next few hours fiercely debating whether or not to assault the _Leviathan_ itself and rescue her.

The aristocratic intelligence officer looked slightly annoyed as he replied, "Sir Intelligence is my specialty and it's something I happen to do very well. I don't question you on your strategic or tactical plans. Besides," he said with a twitch of his lip, "our inside man confirmed it. He's also supplied the Ebon Hawk's destination and travel route. "

"Good," the General grumbled, "we'll set an intercept course," he said throwing the aristocrat a annoyed glare. Tensions had been running high ever since the word came out and evenly the normally stoic Reinhardt was on edge.

"Yes sir," Vankonis said with a crisp bow and did and about face and exited the General's quarters.

Jaster sighed as he watched the officer leave and when he was sure he was gone he reached down and pulled a bottle of Correllian bourbon from his desk. He took a swift draught, wincing as it burned down his throat. Sooner or later this would be all resolved and Revan would retake her rightful place.

XXX

The hanging bag swung with every punch and even though her muscles burned and her lungs screamed for oxygen she struck at it again and again. She had been at this for over an hour non-stop… anything to keep her mind off Carth. Finally she stopped, the sweat poring off her skin, and held onto the punching bag for support.

After several long minutes she released the bag and headed towards the bench were she grabbed her water bottle and greedily drunk from it. Sighing she ran her hand through her hair and sat down on the bench.

"Looking good," Canderous said from the hatchway, "my lord," he added at the end.

Revan chuckled. He'd started calling her that the moment they all figured out who she was. For what seemed like the hundredth time, "You don't need to call me that," they were friends after all and she wasn't the stickler for protocol some people made her out to be.

The corner of his scarred lip twisted, "Yes I do. You've earned it… milord," he said firmly, "you are the single greatest warrior of this age."

"The greatest warrior of the age," she repeated walking over to the weapons rack and grabbed two vibro-swords, one in each hand. Tossing the one sword to Canderous who deftly caught it by the handle, "Let's spar old man," she said flourishing her sword in a deadly arc.

Canderous assumed a defensive stance as Revan predatorily circled him like a nekk war hound stalking its prey. Revan carefully eyed the Mandalorian warrior taking in every move he made, every movement. Canderous had been fighting longer than she had and wouldn't be the one to make a mistake, not this early in the game.

Making the first move Revan struck hesitantly probing his defensives looking for any weakness in his technique. Not surprisingly, she didn't find any. She struck moving faster and harder but still holding off on using the Force.

Canderous like Malak was physically stronger than her but she was faster and more agile and she used that to her advantage not meeting him strike for strike. Minutes went by without one gaining the advantage over the other until Revan managed get her leg tangled in his sending him to the ground with a crash. As he went down he managed to grab ahold of her and drag her down with him.

Revan felt the air expelled from lungs as he landed on top of her. They both froze their faces inches apart, only the sound of their breathing filling the room. She'd honestly had never been attracted to Canderous, but with everything that was going on it was nice to have someone who completely worshiped the ground she walked on… someone who understood war as she did. Someone that didn't look at her like she was evil incarnate.

Revan starred up at him and gulped before closing her eyes. She felt Canderous's breathing stop and then suddenly the weight on her chest was lifted. Still flat on her back she looked up and him with a confused expression clearly written across her face, "What?"

"I'm not gonna play second string Revan to anyone," he said firmly, "and I respect you way too much to take advantage of you," he turned to leave but turned back with a smile tugging at his scarred face, "though my first offer still stands. If you leave Captain Republic and decide you want a real man… I'll be here for you," and then he let.

Propping herself up Revan hung her head in shame as small tears slid down her face. Pulling her legs to her chest for as many times in as many days she cried again feeling disgusted with herself as she did. Not only because of the fact she was crying but because of her behavior with Canderous.

Fortunately Revan was interrupted from any further moments of self-pity when the _Ebon Hawk _shook violently bring up memories of the _Leviathan_. Leaping to her feet Revan dashed for the cockpit, with an odd sense of deja-vu.

"What's going on," Revan snapped wiping tears from her face as she entered the cockpit looking out the main viewport and immediately wished she didn't.

"Its Mandalorian _Concord- class_ battleship," Carth said darkly as the massive warship filled the window, "I didn't know there were any left?"

Revan frowned, "There's only one left… it's the _Honor Bound," _she said looking at the massive black warship. The _Honor Bound_ was the largest warship in the Sith Fleet ever since the four kilometer long _Revenge_, her former flagship, was destroyed during the Jedi ambush.

"It's not alone," Carth said sullenly checking the ship's sensors, "I'm detecting six… seven… ten cruisers acting as an escort." A few seconds after he finished the ship again shuttered as a tractor beam locked on, "here we go again."

Biting her lip, "Shut the engines down. You'll just burn them out."

"Ya sure," he said sarcastically, "we all saw how that worked last time."

"Just power it down," she snapped.

XXX

Jaster stood in his finest dress uniform on the deck of the _Honor Bound's _cavernous hanger bay. He stood there fingering the collar of his uniform cursing whoever decided that soldier needed to wear such ridiculous uniforms. Mandalorians had no such things as dress uniforms. They wore their battle armor nearly everywhere and saw no point in colorful dress that served no military purpose.

The hanger was filled with soldiers, Black Hand Special Forces Operatives, who stood in massed ranks and columns all waiting for the return of their Lord. Two full battalions stood assembled, nearly two thousand men and women, on the hanger deck in their gleaming obsidian armor.

The general watched with building excitement as the _Dynamic-class_ freighter the _Ebon Hawk_ landed with a hiss of steam and hydraulics. Several minutes later with more hissing the ramp lowered to the deck with a thump as it did.

The General started toward the ramp with Colonel Vankonis at his side and his bodyguard detachment trailing behind him. He stopped about ten meters from the base of ramp hands held behind his back. After several long seconds a figure… several figures made their way down the ramp.

Jaster felt a small smile tug at his lip as he saw Revan descend the ramp with a cool, collected grace that she'd been famous for. He was glad that she looked none the worse for wear though her dress was something he was surprised by. Revan had always been a snappy dresser, whether that was as result of her childhood poverty, being raised by the Jedi , or just wanting to looking intimidating, he didn't know. However seeing her wearing a set of fatigue pants and a plain black shirt, one that was slightly too big, on her looked strange.

Her companions for the most part merely looked nervous as they glanced around the cavernous hanger bay filled with Black Hand troopers; all but one that was.

"My Lord," he said with a slight military bow, "It it's a pleasure to see you again," and that was the absolute truth.

Revan smiled slightly and instead of returning his bow she took a step forward and hugged him to the amazement of her comrades and his men, "It's good to see you to… my brother."

XXX

Finally breaking her hung Revan stopped back feeling slightly better to be among the only family she had left in the universe, "How did you find me," she started to say, but then suddenly she closed her eyes and wipe her hand a crossed her face, "It's Canderous… dammit I thought I recognized him."

She restrained the nerve to swear. Ever since she got her memory back she had the feeling that Canderous was familiar to her but she could never quite remember. The reason she didn't remember him was that they'd never been actually introduced. He'd been one of the Warlord of Clan Ordo's commanders and was therefore present on Malachor.

"You were feeding my brother information throughout our mission… haven't you," she said with a sigh. She wasn't so much as angry with him as she was with herself for not catching on earlier.

He bowed his head gravely, "All I did was for you milord. I will serve you in all you ask," he said repeating what he said when she first asked him for his loyalty.

Her gaze turning to the aristocratic intelligence officer she said, "Reinhardt been keeping yourself out of trouble," brilliance notwithstanding the intel officer had the bad habit of letting people regardless of their rank know when they were wrong. It was one of the reasons she'd always keep him around.

"I manage," he said with a nod and a slight smile, "and I'm quite pleased to see you alive and well."

"I knew it," Carth snarled, "I knew you couldn't be trusted you gods-dammed sith."

Before Revan could say or do anything one of the Black Hand guards bashed Carth in the stomach with his rifle causing him to keel over. The guard struck him again over the top of his head causing him collapse and go very still.

"Stop," Revan shouted steel in her voice. Sending a glare that sent the offending soldier away cringing she crouched down a shakily checked his pulse, nearly sighing in relief as she found it strong and steady, "Get him to the med-bay," she growled and the troopers leapt to obey, "and find someplace to quarter my friends."

"Rev-" Juhani started but Revan cut her off.

"You won't be harmed… you have my word," she said to them before turning again to face her brother, "we have some things to talk about, but first let's get my friends settle."

XXX

Revan walked down the hall with Mission beside her, "How are you holding up," she asked with a concerned look down. She wanted Mission to be ok with who she was… she needed Mission to be ok with who she was.

"It's all been a bit much to take in," Mission admitted, "but," she said looking up and catching Revan eyes, "I'll get through it."

They walked a bit more in silence before Revan finally said, "I consider you like a daughter… you know that right… are you ok with that?"

Mission stopped suddenly and Revan turned around slowly to look back at her. With tears forming in her eyes she nodded, "I'm ok with that."

Revan held open her arms and Mission rushed in and they embraced, "I know I'm not the best role model and the fact that I'm only about ten years older than you doesn't help either. Though… maybe when this is over I… can adopt you."

"Really," Mission blinked.

"I…," Revan said pausing as they arrived at their destination, "I can give you everything you could ever possibly want. I… can give you a home and a family," she bit her lip, "it's actually something… Carth and I talked about… adopting you… after we got married."

"You and Carth," Mission said looking surprise and then a little bit sad, "were getting married… before," she trailed off, "ohhh I'm soooo sorry!"

Revan waved it off as she punched at the door's controls. A second later the door slid open and she ushered Mission in. The room was enormous and lavishly decorated… her brother had decorated it for her with luxury befitting an Empress.

Mission looked around the room in awe and asked, "Is this yours?"

Revan smiled and looked at Mission, "No its yours," she said truly enjoying the look of delight that appeared on Mission's face. She actually felt a small laugh escape her lips when Mission threw herself on the enormous bed, "I'll be down the hall."

XXX

Groggily he came too. Attempting to move his arm he found it cuffed to the bed. Blinking he open his eyes and he realized that he was in a med-bay, Sith, Republic , Jedi etc all med-bays looked the same.

"At last," a cool cultured voice sounded, "I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever come too?"

Focusing in on the direction the voice came from Carth looked up and to his right and there he found a black suited officer with a colonel's markings sitting looking fairly amused. He frowned as he focused in on the officer's face, "Vankonis?"

He chuckled, "Very good Onasi I wasn't sure you'd remember me," he said lifting his hand revealing a gold engraved class ring bearing the phrase, 'aut pax aut bellum,' meaning in 'In war or peace,' which was the motto of the Republican War College on Corulag, "It's been a long time."

Of course he remembered the aristocratic officer who'd been his roommate at the War Collage. You couldn't have roomed two different people together… the Outer-Rim kid and the highborn prodigy. They'd actually been good friends during their stay but lost contact after graduation, "Yeah I remember you… you gave me my dueling scars," Carth grated out.

Vankonis slowly dragged his forefinger across the small crescent shaped scar running along the left side of his face, "You gave me mine too as I remember."

Carth remembered that day. War College cadets as part of a fraternity could choose to take up classical fencing. He and Reinhardt had been at the top of the class the aristocrat had been the only one to consistently beat him. It had been the championship fight and Carth had managed to get in a lucky strike on Vankonis's face, costing the aristocrat the title. Ironically he'd never though the high-bound aristocrat would defect; given the disgrace it'd bring to his family and the fact that the Republic would confiscate his own personal fortune.

He did it anyway, "You're a disgrace Reinhardt. A disgrace to that ring you wear," Carth spat. As far as he was concerned Reinhardt was one more name on a long list of traitors.

"My reason are my own old friend," he said rubbing his class ring, "but we're not here to talk about me we're here to talk about you."

"What about," Carth shouted back.

"You and Lord Revan," Reinhardt said no trace of humor left in his tone, "I have no idea what she sees in you or what your plans are, but I will not allow you to hurt her or interfere with our plans. And be assured," he said darkly, "I will do what I need to protect Revan and her campaign… we've all sacrificed too much to let it end now because of a juvenile crush."

Standing up he called, "Troopers," and immediately two Black Hand soldiers appeared, and "when the good doctor gives you the green light please 'escort' the captain to his quarters per Lord Revan's orders. Now if you excuse me I have a meeting to attend."

XXX

Revan stood at a position of at-ease staring out the window of the briefing room. Behind her General Jaster Skirta and Colonel Reinhart Vankonis sat at the table in looking at each other with worrisome glances.

"Well what do you think," she said finally outlining her plan. She knew by their silence they had questions.

"Ner Vod," Jaster said calling her, my sister, in Mandalorian, "Your strategies are sound, but I question your motives. Korriban is important, certainly; however there are more important areas that need your attention. The Empire is on a knife's edge, the whispers of your return have become outright rumors. We need to move now against Malak."

"And Korriban will be our first move," Revan said spinning around to face her brother. Leaning forward and placing her hands on the table, "Korriban is a symbol of Sith power. It's where the future lords of the empire are trained. Taking it will be a severe blow to Malak's credibility."

Jaster leaned forward to meet his sister across the table, "That still doesn't explain why you're so insistent on taking Korriban. Certainly the Star Forge might be a more lucrative target."

Revan caught her brother's eyes in a battle of wills, but before a victor could be declared Reinhardt slammed his fist down on the table, "Its Captain Onasi isn't," he asked… not a question. She found herself sudden regretting that quality that made him such a great chief of intelligence, "his son's on Korriban. I remember reading a file some time ago."

The General leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily. Revan herself sighed and pushed off against the table and again looked out the window, "I promised him I'd help his son," she said hanging her head.

"You love him," Reinhardt said exasperated pinching the bridge of his nose, "you know he rather kill you now than love you back. You're a symbol of everything he hates and I know how stubborn my former classmate can be."

"Maybe," she said tracking the movement of comet across the sky, "Maybe not. I'll I know is that I keep my word. Without our word where is our honor."

They didn't like it but they had no choice but to agree.

XXX

Darth Malak strode through the halls of the Leviathan toward the cell in which Bastila was imprisoned. He was still fuming over the fact that Revan had got away and his one chance of ending this before it began was over. Now that she was loose he had no idea what havoc she would wreak upon his command of the empire.

The door before him and it slid open revealing Bastila sitting in the corner of the room with a Force Suppression Collar fixed firmly about her neck. The young Jedi looked up at him with a furious glare on her face, "Darth Malak," she shouted holding her head high, "You won't get anything out of me!"

"I don't want you to talk," Malak said darkly towering over the young Jedi, "In fact I want you to listen to me. You're skilled and powerful and with Bandon's death I find myself in need of an apprentice … a second in command… an heir if you will."

Bastila's mouth worked and she spat in Malak's face, "I'll never join the Sith."

Malaks temper flared and he called the Force to him. Lashing out with two powerful bolts of lightning they slammed into Bastila causing her to scream in agony. With a roar of frustration Malak ceased his assault incredibly pissed at himself for letting his temper get the better of him.

"Don't be a fool Bastila," he said attempting work some persuasion into his tone. He'd seen Revan do its hundreds of times and he attempted to do it now, "either live in slavery as a tool of the Jedi Council or you can take your rightful place amongst the Sith."

Bastila chuckled painfully as she sat up, "Revan temped me with the same offer Dark Lord and I refused her. What makes you think I'd accept yours."

If he had still had a mouth he would have smirked evilly as he leaned down and grabbed her face, "But Revan didn't have you prison cell in the Sith Flagship on the way to the most fortified system in my empire. Forgive me if I gave you the impression that you had a choice in the matter. You will join me one way or another and the first way will be far less painful."

With that he stood and with a twirl of his cape left the room living a simpering Bastila behind him. He let her simmer over till that reached the Star Forge and if she still didn't he'd give her over to the torturer and things would became exponentially worse from then on for her.

"My lord, my lord," the Captain of the _Leviathan_ shouted stooping in front of him.

"What is it Captain," Malak growled. He was not in the mood for interruptions.

The man quickly handed him a datapad, "This when out less than two hours ago… and its viral."

Malak felt a horrid feeling settle in the pit of her stomach as he took the pad. The moment he looked at the pad he saw the Mask of Mandalore starring back at him and that could mean only Revan. Not really wanting to he hit the play button on the pad.

"_Soldiers, Sailors, and Citizens of the Sith Empire I stand before you here as proof of that I live and as proof of Malak's treachery. When my flagship was ambushed in the Outer Rim it was not the Jedi who nearly killed me, but Malak! That treacherous man fired on my ship not only breaking his oath to me and killing many loyal soldiers in the process._

_Malak's reign, in my name no less, has done nothing for the empire. In fact he has made things worse. He has brought nothing but dishonor, terror and shame upon us all! He has done more harm to the Sith cause than even the Republic! Malak has not even earned his title… he stole it! He does not have the right to lead you!_

_I ask that you my loyal subjects help me in taking back what is ours and not let Malak and his henchmen ruin all that we have built."_

XXX

_Entry from__** Revan's commentaries on the Mandalorian and Jedi Civil Wars**_

_War… war swept through the galaxy and I was to blame for it. It was something that caused me to feel endless hours of regret. It wasn't anything I wanted… I actually would have rather avoided it, but I didn't have a choice. _

_My forces swept into the Republic's Outer-Rim holdings and seized the Foereost Shipyards, the only major Republic Naval Base in the Outer-Rim. With the fleet stationed there and shipyards under my control, due in large part to that a majority of the Outer-Rim Fleet's senior and mid-level officers were sympathetic or in fact loyal to me, I was able to launch a coordinate three pronged push along the galaxies trade routes. _

_The plan was for my forces, bolstered by the Star Forge, the resources of the Outer-Rim and the Mandalore system, to sweep into the Mid-Rim and destroy the Republic fleet before it could regroup. Rather than attack my enemy's weak points, as traditional strategy dictates, I did the complete opposite and chose to draw out and capture or destroy the Republic fleets and armies. _

_In the opening months of my war my fleets swept through the Mid-Rim defeating all they came across. Sector after sector fell before my forces until I was at the doorstep of the Inner-Rim. The Republic sluggishly attempted to resist, though constantly hampered by the infighting of the Galactic Senate. The senators fought amongst themselves about where and how to deploy the Republic reserves; each one arguing for the defense of their constituents. _

_When the Republic finally did deploy the massive Core Fleets in an attempt to block my advance they played right into my trap. Ever since my invasion began I knew the highly equipped, superbly trained and veteran Core Fleets would be the Republic trump card and planned accordingly. I devoted nearly half of all my intelligence gathering capacity to watch the movement of these formations. _

_So when the Core Fleets did finally began to move, under the commanded of a political appointee… a senator no less, I knew more about their movements than their own commanders did. The Core Fleet was deployed to stop me and the 1__st__ Fleet spearheading the invasion down the Hydian Way. _

_We meet in the Chommell Minor system around Chommell Minor itself. The battle lasted a little over three days and saw the complete and udder destruction of the Core Fleet. The poor senator was a quite incapable and incompetent to be given such a command. It was actually quite heart wrenching to watch one of the most time-honored and prestigious formations in the history of the Republic go up in flames all to the incompetence of a single man._

_With the defeat of the Core Fleets the Republic capability to wage an offensive campaign was eliminated. In fact for the rest of the war the Republic couldn't scrape together enough ships to launch another major counter-offensive._


	15. Chapter 14: Korriban Hell

Chapter 14: Korriban… Hell

Korriban was a hellish world to put it mildly. It was a dead world… a mausoleum to darkness and shadow whose barren and rocky soil entombed the greatest of the Ancient Lords of the Sith. It was a world deep in the Dark-Side of the Force and everyone knew it. Even Force blinds knew that something was wrong the moment you set foot on it. It was a world Revan didn't relish visiting.

Ten minutes ago the _Honor Bound_ and its escort cruisers had entered the system and after a brief spat with the system's garrison which was swiftly settled by her appearance. Now she sat once more in her iconic armor, her brother had the moment he found out she was still alive had the master-armorer who originally forged the armor to recreate it for her, in a dropship on its way down to the surface.

In her hands she held the Mask of Mandalore gazing at the blood red and black mask. She ran her thumb over the battle scars it had accumulated over millennia of warfare. Only a few of these occurred in her brief possession of the mask. Was this Mask this piece of metal what her entire life, her entire existence represented? One long struggle after another?

Revan was interrupted from her memories when Canderous shouted, "Touchdown in thirty seconds," his voice carrying a mechanical tinge from his helmet's vocorder. With that the dozen Black Hand Commandos accompanying her in the shuttle did one last check of their weapons and armor before giving the new commander of her personal guard a thumb's up.

Flipping the mask over in her hands Revan brought it up till it touched her face. She hated this part she mused as the edges of the engulfed her face. When it was finished she reached back and pulled the hood up over her head completing her fearsome visage.

Thirty seconds later the shuttle shook slightly as its landing studs impacted with the ground. Revan stood taking a deep breath and steeling herself for what was about to come. Rolling her neck she started down the ramp with Canderous and the Black Hand in tow. She stopped at the bottom and her bodyguard spread out holding their weapons at the ready.

Before her stood a Dark Jedi cloaked in a black robe with the talisman of the academy hanging around his neck. The fallen Jedi strode forward his hand on his saber, "Who do think you are this landing pad is reserved for the Master of the Academy."

Revan ginned savagely beneath her mask and let a small fraction of her true power leak through her shields as she stepped from the shadows of the shuttle's ramp. The Dark Jedi flinched back, fear clear in his eyes as he suddenly recognized who stood before him.

"My…my lord… my lord Revan," he said fearfully dropping to his knees and prostrating himself before her, "we heard… Malak said… you were dead. I didn't believe I mean there were rumors."

"Stand up," Revan ordered and the Dark Jedi did so shakily, "where is the Master of the Academy; where is Uthar Wynn?"

"In…in the main chamber milord with the students," he quivered pointing a shaking in the direction they needed to go.

"Watch him," she commanded two of the commandos and said to the rest, "follow me." Then Revan lead the ten remaining commandos away from landing platform and down the spiraling staircase that lead into the academy proper.

The Sith Academy was a horrid place where darkness seemed to crawl and slither through and around the ancient structure. On the walls themselves were carved terrible scenes of torture, war and death from ancient battles long since pass. Plus, if you listened ever so carefully you could almost hear the screams of all the unfortunate souls who perished in this accursed temple.

As she approached the chamber she heard the echo of canting, "_Peace is a lie. There is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken_."

"The Force shall free me," Revan quoted sardonically as she entered the main chamber of the Sith Academy, her cape billowing majestically behind her.

The students in the academy all fell silent as they turned to evaluate the intruder who dared to interrupt them. Again beneath her mask Revan smirked as she saw the angery gazes of the Sith-to-be as they glared at her not knowing who she was.

"The courtesy of your academy has somewhat lessened of late Master Wynn," she said focusing in on the pale bald figure in the black robes who was still sitting cross-legged in the middle of the chamber.

The tension of the academy quickly shifted from angry to shock as they stared at the figure disrespecting their master. Several snickered perhaps wondering what the Dark Jedi Master would do to this 'young upstart'; however any snickering behind stopped when the Black Hand filed in the room behind her.

Master Uthar Wynn, a former disciple of Exar Kun stood slowly and turned. Revan glad for the mask that covered her features let a look of disgust pass over her face. Years of uncontrolled exposure to the unstable energies of the Dark Side had turned the former Jedi into a pale mockery of life. His skin was sallow and taught over his face like someone had to stretch to make it fit and the whites of his eyes were completely bloodshot while his irises had turned a sulfurous yellow.

"Revan," he said slowly to amazement of the students as he raised his claw-like hands revealing talon-like fingernails as he bowed his head slightly, "so the rumors are true," he said smiling reveling yellow-black teeth, "you are alive."

"I am," she said clasping her hands behind her back, "and you know why I am here?"

"You seek to regain your throne," he ventured a guess.

"You will give me your support and the support of your academy," she demanded letting her masked visage sweep across the assembled students. As she did that she dropped the shields hiding her true strength in the Force. Her power flood into and over the students assembled in the chamber who flinched as shied in response.

Wynn however did not, "Malak is the Dark Lord of the Sith now and if you want my support you'll have to prove it you're still capable of ruling… that your still Darth Revan and haven't been neutered from your time spent amongst the Jedi."

Using the Force to augment her speed and strength she bolted across the room, grabbed him by the throat and hoisted him several inches up in the air and to her eye level, "This is not a negotiation," she snarled as she squeezed ever so slightly. Uthar struggled uselessly against her iron grip wheezing and gasping for air as he did.

"Milord," a purple and heavily tattooed Twi'lek female shouted falling at Revan's feet, "You need him. The other lords, those who trained at this academy look to him for leadership. You cannot gain their respect by murdering their teacher."

Revan flexed her empty hand, clenching and unclenching it. Cursing herself as she realized she was right; that this wasn't the right thing to do. With a snarl she released the Dark Jedi Master letting him fall unceremoniously to the floor.

Pacing up and down she finally turned towards the Dark Jedi Master crossing her arms as she did, "What do you want," she gritted out between clenched teeth.

Slowly rubbing his neck he stood glaring at her. She could tell his pride was injured but he'd get over it… he had to or she'd take the chance and kill him. Finally he got his breath back, "We recently discovered a hidden tomb belonging to Adas," his lip twitched, "you do know who that is right?"

Revan echoed displeasure in the Force, "The first King of the Sith," she said scowling, "who lost his life against the invading armies of the Rakatan."

"According to legend," Uthar said still rubbing at his neck which was starting to bruise, "Adas was buried with his legendary sword which was said to have possessed great power. Brave the danger of the Sith King's tomb and return the sword to academy and you will have my support."

She titled her head considering and she arrived at the conclusion that this was the best course of action, "Deal."

Uthar smiled viscously, "Then I'll take you to the coordinates myself."

"One last thing," Revan said turning back to Canderous, "Captain," she said addressing him by his new ranks as Captain of the Guard, "Call the General and inform him till such a time that I return Korriban will be considered occupied by the Black Hand," then turning back to Wynn she said smirking, "my General is very protective of me and should anything… unwarranted befall me than I shudder to think of the revenge he would take."

XXX

Mission lay flat on her stomach, her legs kicking freely in the air and eating popcorn as she watched some mindless show on the Holo-net. She smiled and rolled onto her back relishing the feel of the plush and comfy bed she was laying in.

A part of Mission was happy… beyond happy she was ecstatic. She finally after all the years she spent alone and later with Big Z she was finally gonna get a family. Another part of her was slightly frightened that her soon-to-be adoptive mother was the Dark Lord of the Sith.

A chime interrupted her revelry. Sitting up quickly she glanced at the door and after a few seconds shouted, "ahh come in!"

The door slid open and a man strode in. It took Mission less than a second to recognize the man as Revan's brother Jaster, " General," she said turning off the holo-net, "popcorn," she offered holding out the bowl.

The Commanding General of the Black Hand gave her an amused look before shaking his head and pulling up a chair to sit down on, "I've actually come to speak to you," he said surprising and shocking her.

"Me," Mission said blinking quickly. She couldn't imagine what he wanted to speak to her about, "Why me?"

"You're going to be my niece… isn't that reason enough," he said spreading his hands.

"I guess," Mission squeaked crossing her legs on the bed, "whadya want do you know? I mean," she shrugged, "I'm not all that interesting. Revan and Big Z are the only one to ever really ask before."

"Apparently my sister found you interesting enough," the general said with a small twitch of his lip in an ever so slight smile.

Mission opened her mouth before closing it again as a questioned popped into her head, "Are you all right with Revan adopting me… I mean," she trailed off somewhat unsure about what to say next.

"_Aliit ori'shya tal'din_," the general said. Mission frowned, that had sounded like Mandalorian. Revan was teaching her the language, but she still couldn't make out more than few words.

"What's that mean," she asked titling her head.

"Family is more than blood," he explained "It's a Mandalorian proverb. What it means is that we, Mandalorians I mean, value ability and skill and our heat in our children more than blood," he sighed and leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees , "I also know she care about you more than she does her own life."

Mission nodded wrapping her arms around her knees and she began to tell the General her story.

XXX

Revan stood gazing at the barely uncovered entrance to the tomb of Adas the first and only King of the Sith. She frowned, she could feel the Dark-Side of the Force billowing out from the cave. The fact that she could pick out this particular spot on a planet alright steeped in the Dark-Side did not bode well.

She took a moment to study the sand worn statues that stood guard over the tombs entrance. Once upon a time they must have been magnificent she realized. The statues had been carved to resemble some grotesque creature from Sith mythology… creatures with large bat-like wings and serpent like fangs.

Lovely, Revan mused as she descended in the tomb her hands resting on her sabers. The moment she crossed the threshold of the door she felt a chill descend over her and her hand flew to her chest as she gasped in shock. The Dark-Side was purer here than she had ever felt before and it frightened her to the core. Even Malachor paled before the shadow the resided here.

Nonetheless she steeled her nerves and pressed forward deeper into the shadows. Eventually after, what, according to her helmet's time log was twenty-two minutes and thirteen seconds, Revan found herself in a mid-sized room. The Chamber was ringed by statues of Massassi Warriors and covered in elaborate frescos which told that tale of King Adas and his war against what Revan could only assume were the Raakatan.

The pictures were quite beautiful, if anything created by the Sith could be described as beautiful, she realized as she drug her gauntleted hand over the frescos. She was so focused on the pictures she almost didn't catch her danger sense going off.

Dropping to one knee Revan just barely avoided being decapitated by a halberd. Calling her saber to her hand she pivoted it her right slashing hard. Revan stood calling her other saber to her free hand and got a good look at her opponents. She felt her jaw drop as one by one the statues began to move. As they moved masonry began to fall off them piece by piece until the Massassi warriors' bright red skin was revealed.

Revan cursed vehemently. She'd read in her studies of powerful ancient Sith Sorcery that could turn living creatures to stone to serve as timeless guardians. Creatures that would arise and turn back to flesh when the territory their master had commanded them to protect was violated.

Slipping into a defensive stance she waited for them to attack. She didn't have to wait long as the feral Massassi raised their halberds and pole-arms and charged. Waiting until the last second Revan sprang into action her sabers flying like spinning wheels of death as she deflected the incoming strikes.

Despite her skill and power Revan was forced to give ground as the primitive Sith warriors attacked snarling and spitting. Revan lashed out with the Force staggering all her attackers. Using the interlude caused by the attack Revan sprung forward manage to decapitate one of the Sith. The Massassi's body stumbled for a second before exploding into a cloud of dust .

Letting herself fall deep into the Force Revan moved faster than she ever moved. Her sabers flashed and the Massassi exploded one by one cutting a bloody swath through the ancient Sith Warriors. After what seemed like an hour of non-stop fighting the last Massassi fell and so did Revan collapsing to the floor.

Returning her sabers to her side she gasped heavily for air. After several long minutes Revan finally stood again brushing the dust from her cloak and armor. Her muscles ached but she knew she had to keep pressing forward.

Gritting her teeth she marched on down deeper into the pyramidal tomb and into the abyss. She paused however when she saw light at the end of the passage way. Not wanting to run into any more surprises she let her hand drop to her side.

She stepped into enormous chamber filled with light. It was not a light from the sun but from a river of molten lava that ran through the center of the chamber. The chamber itself was bare except for a single massive obelisk that rose from the center of the lava river.

Still wary she entered the chamber ever on the lookout for more of those statue creatures but she didn't find any. As she approached the obelisk she noticed there was writing on the side facing her. Titling her head she began mouth the words on the side. Sith, under the best of times was extremely difficult language to speak let alone read.

"Beware…all those," she said aloud reading the ancient script, "who enter here, the tomb of the Great King Adas. Lest your lives be forfeit to its guardian," she finished with a scowl on her face. She didn't like the sound of it one bit.

As if to punctuate her thought the cavern shook sending Revan to her knees for stability, "What the," she growled but her sentence was cut off by an ear shattering roar as something burst from the lava river.

For the second time Revan felt her jaw drop as she saw a great serpent like creature landed in front of her. The creature reared up like a snake and roared its jaws opening wide, though unlike most creatures its lower jaws split vertically. The creature was enormous… at least three hundred meters long with three large fins running down its back.

Revan leapt back using the Force to assist her as the great wyrm struck out in an attempt to swallow her whole. Landing she threw both her sabers sending them spinning like blood-shine disks through the air. They struck the great wyrm but did not, could not penetrate its thick hide.

Cursing Revan called the sabers back into her hands before returning them to her belt. They'd be of no more use to her now. The creature followed her with his eyes and struck again and again with Revan barely dodged the wyrm's strike.

She knew she couldn't keep this up forever and needed a plan. This time the wyrm swept at her with its tail. It missed Revan and struck the obelisk causing the massive stone structure to teeter and fall with a great crash.

Glancing at the fallen obelisk an idea began to formulate. Standing her ground Revan reached deeply into the Force stretching out to grasp the fallen obelisk. The obelisk began to twitch and rise up from the lava river in which it fell. Revan breathed heavily keeping her eyes locked on the wyrm who in turn seemed to be carefully regarding her.

As if its patience expired the great wyrm lunged and at the same time Revan hurled the obelisk point first towards the wrym. Upon releasing it Revan collapsed to her knees exhausted and the only thing she could do was watch as the creature descended towards her its gaping maw open wide.

Revan closed her eyes praying that her aim had been true when a thump and an earsplitting screech of pain filled the cavern. Slowly she opened her eyes and found to her great relief the great wyrm lay in a growing pool of its own blood.

Rising shakily to her feet Revan made her way over to the creature's head. Despite of the fact that a giant piece of masonry prodded from its side the great wyrm still lived. Staring into the creature's eye Revan drew her saber and stabbed through the wyrm's eye and into its brain finally killing it.

XXX

"Report," Malak snarled as he stormed into the command center of the Star Forge, causing all the personal to jump in fright.

"My lord the news is not good," Admiral Varko the fat dark-skinned officer who'd taken over command of the fleet after Karath's death said, "reports having been coming in from all over the empire. The Lords Renault and Strumn have already broken off their support and declared their loyalty to Revan and others may be following suit," the Admiral gulped nervously before continuing, "plus it seems Jaster has surfaced with the Black Hand Fleet at Korriban and we can't raise Master Wynn or the Academy."

Everything was falling apart. The empire was breaking away from him sector by sector, planet by planet, and there was nothing he could do about it. The men he had here at the Star Forge were loyal to him, he'd made sure of it. The Fleet that was stationed at the Forge was loyal as well.

Turning on the Admiral he ordered, "Call every ship that will respond. Revan's going to come sooner or later and I want every ship here we can muster to stop her when she does."

The Admiral seemed to hesitate before responding, "My Lord that may deplete the line units leaving us vulnerable at the front in face of a Republic counter-attack."

"The Republic doesn't have enough ships to defend its own territory as it is," Malak barked angrily, "besides if we don't do this we may lose the whole empire and just not some territory at the front."

"Yes milord," the Admiral said nervously and bowing quickly.

The Dark Lord of the Sith growled angrily starring out the window and into space where the fleet was gathering. With the power of the Star Forge at his command he could rapidly manufacture ships and weapons. The only problem that he didn't have enough men to man the ships he could create. He could partially fix that problem by making a majority of the Star Forge produced fighters droid controlled and greatly increasing the redundancy on the capital ships so they would require a smaller crew.

The only problem that ran into was that droid controlled ships were not of the same caliber as sentient controlled ships. The droids lacked the ability for creative independent thought and that would always be a major weakness. The major strength was that droids had no fear.

When Revan's forces finally did arrive he could hurl his ships at hers in a massive terrifying wave of steel and hopefully annihilate her before she could do the same to him.

XXX

Finally she stood outside the door to Adas's crypt. Not one for sentiment Revan placed her hands on the stone slab blocking her way and reached out with the Force. This door Revan ventured like other Sith constructs required a Force User to open it. After a few seconds of searching she found what she was looking for and with the Force released the lever.

She took a step back and slowly the door grinded open. The crypt was filled with gold, other precious metals and jewels but that's not what drew her gaze. What drew her gaze was the sarcophagus lying in the middle of the room.

Moving swiftly she crossed the distance in a few strides and found herself standing over the Sith King's sarcophagus.

"Never thought you for a grave robber," a cold metallic voice echoed from behind her. Revan froze… it couldn't be? Her hand on her saber she turned to face the direction the voice came from.

"Malak," Revan questioned unable to believe her own eyes but there before stood her former lover and friend leaning against the wall with an amused look in his eyes, "you're not Malak," she stated determined. He couldn't be. Malak was tens of thousands of light-years away on the Star Forge.

Not-Malak nodded sardonically and shadows gathered around him for a brief second and then dissipated. When the shadows were gone it was not an image of Malak that stood before her but her father, Mandalore the Ultimate.

The dead Mandalore shifted and raised a massive bejeweled broadsword and rested it on his shoulder, "If you're trying to create an opponent that I would have psychological problems fighting… I would suggest not taking the form of people I hate," Revan barked.

The figure of her father chuckled, an extremely odd sound and he raised his hand and the shadows once again formed. When it dissipated this time it was Mission standing before her, "Hello Revan," the phantom said in Mission's voice, "or should I call you Mother," Mission said running her fingers down the side of the sword that was nearly as big as she was.

"Get out of my head," she growled angrily igniting her sabers.

The phantom hefted its sword as if it weighed nothing and charged raising the sword over its head. Revan shifted into a defensive stance. The phantom swung and Revan lifted her saber to intercept but to her horror the blade merely passed through her saber and through her armor biting into her skin.

Revan managed to avoid taking more than a flesh wound by rolling out of the way. Coming to her feet her hand when to her shoulder and to her amazement found that her armor was not cut or damaged, the phantom's sword had passed right through her armor.

She shrugged and winced as her armor began to pump a regenerative bio-foam into her shoulder to accelerate the healing process. The phantom grinned evilly as it flourished its blade and advanced on her. It attacked and Revan was forced to dodge knowing she couldn't stop the blade if she tried.

Swerving out of the way of one of the phantom's strikes Revan gathered the Force to her and hurled storm of Force Lightening at it. The specter merely raised its hands and the lightening deflected back at her.

"Aw Shit," Revan moaned as the lightning struck her mid-chest sending her flying into the wall. Revan groaned in agony as she slowly tried to stand but slipped back down. Looking up Revan saw the phantom standing above her. Reaching out the phantom made for her throat. Its hand passed right through her armor to grip her naked throat.

The phantom hoisted her into the air. Revan uselessly grabbed at the phantom's arm only to find that her hands passed right through it, "Not… fair…," Revan gasped as the edges of her vision began to darken.

Not-Mission grinned evilly and with a quick movement hurled her through the air. Revan sailed through the air stopping with a thud as she hit top of the sarcophagus and rolled off landing behind it. Gritting her teeth in pain Revan managed to get to her knees. Her hand went to her back where she had slammed into the wall. She was thankful that her armor had absorbed most of the blow or she'd most likely be a cripple.

Resting her hands on the sarcophagus she panted heavily, her mind racing as she tried to figure out how to save herself. As the phantom advanced Revan used the Force to shoot the top off the sarcophagus and sent it flying at the phantom. As expected the heavy stone cover merely passed through the phantom, but that wasn't what Revan had in mind.

She nearly sighed in relief as she looked in the sarcophagus and on top of the dusty bones and tattered clothing Ada's sword rested. The moment she touched it she felt a jolt of dark power run through her.

"Noooooo," the phantom screeched twisting Mission's face in mask of rage. The creature raised its sword and charged.

Revan just barely managed to pull the sword from its resting place and raise it in her defense when the phantom reached her. She braced herself in case she was wrong. However her suspicion was proven right when the phantom's blade clashed on one the one she was holding. For a second the blades began to glow before the room exploded in light.

When she stood and the mask de-polarized Revan saw that Mission's avatar was gone and in its place the phantom's true nature was revealed. It was King Adas or at least his sprit Revan realized as she looked upon the two and a half meter tall, red skinned creature with a long tentacle like beard.

It roared madly and charged at her. Gripping her sword, identical to the phantom's, she stood a cold smile on her face. Now that she could fight she didn't have any worries.

The clang of steel rang out throughout the chamber as the Dark Lord and the Sith King dueled ferociously but Revan was the superior swordsman. The Phantoms strikes now seemed slow and sloppy. Apparently the millennia spent entombed dulled its fighting skills. With a quick thrust Revan slipped inside its guard and rammed her blamed through where the phantom's heart would.

The stood like that for several seconds the Sith King staring her right in the eyes even through her mask. Then without warning it faded into nothingness.

Revan stood panting heavily wincing as pain in her shoulder flared up. Looking down at the sword in her hand she scowled, it seemed like such a petty thing to die over, but nonetheless she needed it. Turning her back to the sarcophagus she made her way back to the surface.

XXX

"Do you really think it's her," Fleet Admiral Forn Dodonna, Supreme Commander of the Military Forces of the Republic, asked skeptically to the assembled Republic Security Council members.

"I don't see how," Marshal Cato, the Chief of the Army, reaponded with a shake of his head, "If it was why would she have waited so long to reclaim lordship over the Sith. It must be an imposter," he finished sounding absolutely convinced he was right.

A low buzz of conversation hung around the room until the old and weary Supreme Chancellor Alexander Cressa raised his hand to silence them, "What do think Grand Master Martel?"

The Grand Master of the Jedi Order sat silently rapping his fingers on the old fine wood table before finally admitting, "It is her," he said to the shock of the most powerful people in the Republic.

"How can you be sure," the fat pompous little Marshal barked angrily no doubt upset that anyone would contradict him.

The Master of the Jedi again feel silently, his mouth etched in a hard line as if wondering whether or not to part with his secret, "We… the Order I mean captured Revan when we ambushed her… we never did kill her."

Dodonna her mouth drop in shock and with a quick glance around the room saw that the others were just as surprised. The Jedi had captured Revan, she couldn't believe it.

"What," Cato snarled jumping to his feet his feet and pointing at pudgy finger at the Grand Master, "you had that Sith Harlot in you grasp and let her escape!"

"Peace Marshal," the Supreme Chancellor said but his steely gaze never left the Grand Master, "I'm sure the Grand Master has a reason for what he did."

"We've known for some time that the Sith have an ace up their sleeve… something that allows them to out produce even the prestigious shipyards of the core. We had no idea what this was and without further information we will lose the war," Martel paused before looking around at the members of the Security Council, "when Revan was captured we realized we had a golden opportunity. The Jedi High Council used our collective power to… to reprogram Revan in the hopes she would led us to what we sought."

"And," Dodonna said dragging the word out.

His lip twitched, "We learned the weapon was called the Star Forge. However it appears at some point Revan overcame the brain washing," he grumbled, "and her Jedi Watcher is no longer responding."

"Obviously," Cato growled angrily slamming his fists down on the table.

Rubbing the bridge of her nose Dodonna ventured, "Do we at least know where this 'Star Forge' is located?" If they knew that than maybe they could scrap together some kind of force to go after it. As she feared the Grand Master shook his head no and she sighed. She doubted that the Republic could spare the ships anyway.

Voicing the Admiral's own concerns the Chancellor said, "There's not very much we could do about it anyway. Not against something as heavily defended as this Star Forge would certainly be. Alright what's the possible fallout?"

Dodonna was the first to speak, "The best case scenario is that the Sith find themselves in the middle of a nice long drawn out civil war in which a significant portion of their military strength is destroyed giving us the time to rebuild and rearm."

The low level chatter once up again in the room as the members and aides agreed with the Admiral. However the Chancellor was not as convinced as all the sycophants who tended to be a part of these meeting were. Turning to the Jedi Grand Master he asked, "What do you think Master Jedi?"

"Malak will be dead in a month… two tops," the Grand Master of the Jedi order said without the slightest bit of hesitation or mirth, "and all of us within six."

XXX

Revan had retrieved the sword and as promised the Dark Jedi Master had pledged his support, influence and power to her. Now that this was over she had one more thing to do on Korriban and to her it was the more important of the two.

She had commanded Master Wynn to gather his apprentices so obsensivly she could choose from them a new apprentice and heir. All sixteen of the Academy's Sith Lords in training were assembled in the main chamber eagerly awaiting the Dark Lord of the Sith to choose from among them.

"Serak," the Dark Jedi Master droned, "Is one of the most powerful of the apprentices. He's strong in the Dark-Side of Force milord and skilled with a blade. He'd make a fine heir to your legacy," Serak was a particular nasty looking Zabrak with long sharp head-horns and a pale complexion.

Revan nodded noncommittally as she scanned the crowd looking for a particular individual. Beneath her mask she smiled as she saw a familiar set of brown eyes staring back at her. Lifting her hand she pointed at him, "You what's your name?"

The young man blinked as he realized that the Dark Lord was indeed talking to him, "Dustil Strauss, milord," he said with a low bow at the waist.

Even without the slight tremor in the Force Revan knew he was lying. He was a spitting image of Carth… or at least what Carth would have looked like in his early twenties. Turning to the Dark Jedi Master she ordered, "I will speak with him alone… now go."

The old man looked confused as he glanced up at his young human student, "As… as you wish milord," declared with a bow of his head .

Once they were all alone Revan fixed Dustil with a stare, "I'm… astounded," she said striding up and down the room, "that you think I can lie to me."

Dustil sputtered indignity, "My lord… I… have no idea what you're talking about."

He was good; she had to give him that. The very fact that he'd managed to fool the Master of the Academy and his henchman for this long was proof of that. "Lets us cut to the chase… you," she said with a point of her index finger, "are Dustil Onasi the son of the famed Captain Onasi."

To his credit he didn't move to deny it or run. He simply stood starring at her and didn't say a thing, "What do you want from me?"

"Come with me," she said without hesitation, "The _Honor Bound_ is in orbit and… your father is aboard."

The young Dark Jedi eyes's narrowed and Revan could feel the anger swell in him at the mention of his father, "Is he a prisoner," he said and Revan couldn't tell from his tone whether he thought that was a good or bad thing.

"Technically," Revan paused, "Yes he's not quite a quite at his own leisure. Nonetheless what I want from you is to visit him. He misses you, and I want you talk to him."

The muscle in his jaw twitched in a way that reminded her of his father, "Is that an order?"

"Yes," Revan said, "It is."

"Why do you care," he snarled.

Revan opened her mouth and snapped it shut again. Reaching out with the Force she scanned the area to make sure no one was listening before opening her mouth again, "After Malak nearly killed me the Jedi captured me. The Council used its power to create a new 'persona' for me in an attempt to extract information. On the mission assigned to me and my comrades I ended up falling on love with your father."

"Then he figured out who you really are," he said knowingly.

She nodded slowly.

XXX

Captain Carth Onasi paced about his room angrily. To be honest he wasn't quite sure what he was so angry about. Parts of him were angry at himself for trying to hurt Revan and other parts were angry at her for just being her.

He heard the door swish opened and he turned expecting to see Revan or one of her lackeys instead he saw someone he honestly never expected to see again, "Dustil," he said a slight quiver in his voice, "Son?"

"Let's keep this short… shall we father," Dustil said crossing his arms over his chest, "I'm not here because of you."

For the first time Carth took notice of his son's dress. His boy was wearing the midnight black robes of a Dark Jedi and a lightsaber hung from his belt, "Then why…," he started before realization came over him and his eye's narrowed, "Revan asked you to come," he finished, not a question.

Dustil through a look over his shoulder before admitting, "Yes she did and she told me why," he chuckled slightly, "jeez dad of all the women in galaxy you had to fall for her, the Force dammed Dark Lord of the Sith," he finished with a shout.

Carth clenched his hand at his side, "I… I didn't know who she was," he tried to explain.

"That still doesn't justify the fact that you slept with mother's murderer," Dustil snarled, "though considering how much you seemed to care for us…. yah that makes sense!"

That struck deep, "I loved you and your Mother," he shouted back angrily.

"And you showed it by never being around," his son asked sarcastically.

Carth ground his teeth, "I joined the fleet to protect the people I love. The Outer-Rim is a dangerous place and I thought it could make it safer for all of us," he threw his son a pleading look, "besides you know I was in the reserves until the Mandalorian Wars started up. I thought I could keep you and your mother safe."

Dustil looked down as if he didn't want to admit that his father could be right, "I... I…," he started to say but stopped.

Taking a step towards his wayward son Carth pleaded, "Son whatever you have against me don't let it ruin your life," he said referring to his son's choice to join the Sith.

He didn't say anything he just turned and left the room but Carth though he'd got to him. He just hoped Dustil would make the right choice now. His eyes followed his son as he left and they came to rest on Revan who was leaning at the doorway, still in her armor though her mask was off and hanging from her belt.

XXX

Revan stood with arms crossed over her chest as she leaned on the door frame. She'd been watching as father and son argued hoping that Dustil would see the reason in his father's position.

"Thank you," Carth said surprising her, "for this, for giving me the opportunity to see him. Though I'm not quite sure why you did it."

Shifting her weight and internally cursing herself for her nervousness she said, "I made you a promise Carth… I keep my promises."

"I tried to kill you," he said confused as he closed the distance between them.

"You were drunk," Revan countered, "and emotional compromised," she said breathlessly taking steps towards him until they were standing just a few inches apart, "you wouldn't hurt me."

A myriad of emotions flashed over his face as he circled her waist with his arms, "I've tried to hate you I really have, but… I can't. I've tried to blame you for what happened to my wife, to my son… but I can't. I… still care for you… I still love you," he paused, "… Revan."

Smiling Revan cupped his face with her hands, "It's alright Carth," she whispered as she laid a kiss upon his lips, "I still love you too."

The kiss lasted for over thirty seconds went they both broke for air. Revan knew she had a stupid happy grin on her face but didn't care as she held her lover tight. She heard Carth sigh heavily and felt his right hand run through her hair.

"We are two of the most fracked up people in the Galaxy," she said suddenly with a laugh causing Carth to laugh as well.

"Now what?"

It was Revan's turn to sigh and she lead him over to the bed and they both sat down, "I need your help Carth," she said and she honestly did.

Immediately a wary look entered his eyes, "Revan," he said painfully, "I'm not gonna to help you bring down the Republic."

She knew that, she had always known that, "That's not what I want. In fact I need your loyalty to the Republic," she said and when she saw the confused look on his face she began to elaborate, "The Sith stand on the brink of Civil War and in order to keep bloodshed to a minimal I need to eliminate Malak and his followers as quickly as possible."

"How can I help you," he asked and Revan was surprised at the genuineness in his tone. He really did what to help.

She took a deep breath, I need you to get the Republic to agree to a ceasefire… one that may lead to a lasting peace. I need the men and material currently at the front to take on Malak."

"You don't have enough to do both," he said sounding surprised.

"No," she admitted, "I don't have enough ships to overwhelm the Star Force and whatever firepower Malaks assembled to protect it and fight the Republic at the same time," it was a strategist's worst nightmare, fighting a two front war.

"Revan," he said and she could detect the honesty in his voice, "why would the Republic agree to a ceasefire. The… disunity only works in their favor."

Revan shook her head vehemently, "You don't understand Malak is the real threat here. You don't have any idea how dangerous he is with the Star Forge under his control," she paused, "I can't take of the Republic and Malak at the same time, but," she said stressing the word, "I can keep Malak at bay till I finish grinding the Republic into dust and mind you…. every day he grows stronger. The death toll for any assault against the Core would increase exponentially because of my lack of time. I'd have to finish with the Republic as quickly and brutally as possible before turning back to fight Malak with everything I have left."

"The Star Forge is that dangerous," and Revan could tell he was having trouble believing it. In fact she had had a hard time believing it herself

"You and the Republic… hell even the Sith," he tried to explain, "see the Star Forge as nothing more as a factory, a weapons plant. While it can function as a factory in reality it is so much more. The secret… the secret that only Malak and I know is that the Star Forge is a living creature."

"What," he blinked.

"The Star Forge is a living creature," she said stressing that extremely important fact, "It thinks, it plots, its hungers and feeds."

"What's it feed off of," Carth asked a slight tremor in his tone.

"The Dark-Side of the Force," Revan answered, "and right now Malak's letting it gorge itself off him. I don't know what will happen when it decides it doesn't need us anymore but I suspect it won't be good," in her mind and heart she cursed Malak a thousand times, "It was never supposed to survive this long. Once we had the shipyards of the Outer and Mid-Rim at our disposal we were supposed to destroy it. Malak however betrayed me before I could."

"Do think that why he did it," he questioned displaying a keen sense of insight.

"That was part of I'm sure," Revan replied look away from him not wanting to see the single tear that gathered in her eye. She had loved him up until the point he betrayed her and a part of her still wailed in anguish at his loss, "I'm also sure it had a hand in his betrayal."

"It can do that," he said astonished, "influence people?

She nodded, "It whispers, always whispers things. It's the reason that I only used Mandalorian Super commandos to guard it. Their training makes them highly resistant to any type of Force influence and still I roatated them in an out frequently."

Carth looked down at her thoughfully, "How long does it take? For it to control you I mean?"

She shrugged she didn't know, she doubted anyone knew for sure, "Months at least. It's not an immediate thing. It's very subtle."

"Do you want me to tell them this," he said again in a very low tone.

"Every word," she said sternly. She paused through a look out the door, "You should leave as soon as possible… and take Juhani and Jolee with you as a show of good faith on my part."

"Right now," he said sadly as he pulled her tighter to him.

Leaning forward she kissed him, "Maybe not right now," she said and she smiled as he began to undo the clasps on her armor.

XXX

_**Force Spirits and Ghosts **__written by Jedi Master Drall_

_For as long as Jedi and Sith have existed so too have these mysterious Force apparitions. This state as Force ghosts were an intermediate state between life and afterlife. Spirits of fallen Jedi Master are have said to appeared to their students, friends or families to give one last goodbye or to pass on critical knowledge to the next generation. Their however seems to be a limit on how long said spirit can remain before it must leave this life and go to its final resting place in the Netherworld of the Force._

_For the spirits of the Sith Lords however that much is not true. While the fallen Lords of the Dark have been known to linger on as well they do not seem to have the same freedom as their counterparts. Most Sith spirits encountered have been reportedly tied or one might say imprisoned in areas that was important to them in life or was the site of their final resting place. These spirits seem to restless 'haunt' sites of dark power or perhaps are the cause of the dark locus themselves. Unlike the Jedi, however, the Sith seemed to find no peace in this form, instead they exist for restless centuries, eventually driven insane by solitude, memories, or dark side inflicted madness._

_The ancient Sith Lords also are recorded as having the ability to bind the spirits or souls of others, even Force-blinds, to an area to act as a kind of ageless undead guardian. These poor souls are then doomed to potentially spend an eternity protecting the treasures of their dark masters as mindless slaves. The greatest example of this was in the Hundred-Year Darkness, also known as Second Great Schism. When the Jedi invaded their dark counterparts' lairs they often encounter these tortured and imprisoned souls and were forced to destroy them._


	16. Chapter 15: Unholy Alliance

_Sorry this took so long but it was really boring to write because it's just filler for the final couple chapters._

Chapter 15: Unholy Alliance

Darth Revan sat in the command chamber of her new Centurion-Class Battleship the _Imperator. _The _Imperator_ was currently orbiting the Sith capital of Zioist. Over the last week she had spent her time reuniting the Sith factions in preparation for the assault on the Star Forge. She was actually quite pleased with the results as less than ten percent of the Sith overall military might defected to Malak. The empire was her again… at least for the moment. Though as long as two Dark Lords of the Sith existed her reign and legitimacy was in question.

Around her and the holo-board were collected her most trusted servants and officers including Colonel Vankonis, her brother and the aged Field Marshal Swhartze. The holographic image on the board showed the Lehon system, the system with the Star Forge, and the likely fleet elements and defensives the rouge Dark lord had assembled.

"The current thinking milord," Admiral Marcus Halsey one of Revan's former ship captains and fervent loyalist said, "is that Malak will concentrate his forces around a massive defense of the Star Forge itself."

Revan shook her head in disagreement, "I know Malak and that's not his style. He'll attack us with everything he has the moment we drop from hyperspace. He knows the longer he waits the more force we can bring to bear on him," she paused before reaching out and touching the system's single planet, "We also need to take Lehon. They're are secrets there I don't want him to find and on the practical side its used as a staging area," Revan focused on the Field Marshal, "What are your ideas?

The aged Field Marshal straightened his uniform and reached out to manipulate the holo-board until it focused in on Lehon, "The night before the main fleet arrives I propose that the Second Strike Regiment drop in and disrupt the," he paused as if searching for the right word to call their foes, "the traitors' lines of supply and communication until the main landing force arrives."

Shifting her gaze again to an officer standing in the back ground wearing the insignia of a Lieutenant Colonel, "Colonel Sharp," she said addressing the commander of the Second Strike Regiment. The Strike Regiments in the Sith Empire was a term used to describe elite shock units and the Second was widely considered the best in the Empire. It was also one of her most faithful units.

"Milord," he said coming to attention with a click of his heels.

"What's your opinion of the land operation? It's your men that will take the brunt of the initial causalities," she said gesturing to the holographic map.

The grey uniformed colonel approached the board warily as he was surrounded by the some of the most powerful sentients in the Galaxy, "it'll be a tough fight," he said carefully studying the map.

Revan watched the colonel as he studied the map evaluating the officer. She had very high expectations of her officers, especially the commanders of the Strike Regiments, "Can you do it Colonel," she asked and unlike Malak if he honestly didn't think his men could pull it off she'd consider other options.

He nodded, "Like I said it'll be tough," he said running his right hand over the holographic terrain, "but doable definitely doable. How long with we be without support," he questioned her.

Revan turned to the Field Marshal with a raised eyebrow, "Ten hours give or take," the elderly officer responded.

The infantry colonel nodded, "We won't fail you milord," he intoned gravely bowing at the waist.

She nodded knowing that they wouldn't. With that the officer returned to his position along the wall. Meanwhile Admiral Halsey again stepped forward and dressed her, "Milord what of the Republic? Have they agreed to your cease-fire," he paused before leaning forward for emphasis, "We can't move against Malak until we know our flanks are secure. I suggest we begin our preparations to finish off the Republic," he said gesturing to his aide who handed out several datapads, "I've taken the liberty of preparing several invasion scenarios."

Revan rapped her fingers on the table and biting the inside of her cheek as she took the pad from the aide with her free hand. Sighing she declared, "Will hold off for now, but the Republic needs to be sent a message."

"What kind of message," the commander of the Black Hand said almost too eagerly.

She smiled slightly at her brother, "Not that kind of message. I mean an actual message," she looked around the room, "I think it's time the Chancellor and I had a face to face."

XXX

Carth Onasi sat in his quarters under a sort of house-arrest as the Republic Security Forces questioned, poked, prodded and examined him. He brought Revan's message to the Chancellor and Republic Central Command and they had nearly laughed in his face.

He loved the Republic, its ideals and what it stood for as much as anyone but even he could see that it was on its deathbed taking its last gasping breaths for air. Revan's proposal was the only chance for it to survive and possibly stop a far greater danger. He laughed harshly at the irony of the situation, the Dark Lord of the Sith had offered the salvation of the Republic to them and they turned it down.

The door with a whoosh slide open revealing Admiral Fleet Jane Dodonna in her resplendent white uniform, followed by two marine MPs. Nearly three decades of ingrained military discipline forced him to his feet, "Admiral what do I owe the honor," he grained out.

The Admiral's lip twitched at his disrespectful tone, "Captain I'm here to inform that you're -",but she was cut off as her communicator beeped franticly, "Dodanna here," she barked bringing the comm link to her lips.

Carth strained his ears trying to hear what was beginning said but couldn't. However he appeared not to be good as her eyes nearly bulged from her head as she disbelievingly shouted, "What? Are you sure," a pause, "no no I'll be right there."

"Problems admiral," Carth asked with a touch of dry humor in his tone, "Anything I can do?"

Replacing the comm unit on her belt she glared at him before ordering the two MPs, "Bring him."

The marines surged forward, their hands resting on the handle of their side-arms. Carth raised his hands in a non-threatening manner as they guided him after the admiral. Gritting his teeth as he was lead down the white-washed halls of the Republic War Department toward, he recognized, the War Room.

The two MPs at the capital ship quality blast door didn't snap to attention or salute even for the Supreme Commander of the Republic Military. Instead they cradled rapid-fire BlastTech E-3Cs and wouldn't hesitate to use them if anyone or thing threatened the Republic Civilian and Military leadership.

They passed the checkpoint and entered the War Room with far less fuss than Carth would have thought. When he did he felt his jaw drop in shock as he saw Revan or at least a real-time holographic avatar of her.

He saw her head turn and through the Mask of Mandalore and across several thousand light-years he felt her gaze upon him, "Captain it's a pleasure to see you well."

Carth nodded not quite trusting himself to speak. Instead he studied the other sentients gathered in the War Room. He spotted the Supreme Chancellor Alexander Cressa, Marshal Cato, Fleet Admiral Dondonna among several other high ranking officials.

"So Chancellor," Revan's voice filled the chamber, as she crossed her arms over chest "I need an answer to my offer and I need it now."

The Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic looked unwarily of at the armored figure of the women who was his greatest adversary, "We've been considering it," he answered noncommittal y looking over at his advisors.

Carth winced as Revan spoke back, hearing the cold steel in her voice, "Chancellor you have two options. One," she said raising the pointer finger of her right hand, "accept my offer of a cease-fire with the possibility of working out a permanent truce or two," she said holding up the second finger of the same hand, "You reject my offer and I'll grind you to dust and the blood of every one who dies from then on is your hands Chancellor," she finished strongly.

"The problem is that I… we," he corrected, "can't trust you," he said spreading out his hands, "what if this is some pretext to some great push and you just want us to lower our guard."

Carth was shocked as the sound of Revan's laughter filled the room, "Please," she said finally, "I'm not asking you to disband your fleets and armies. I'm asking you to simply agree to a ceasefire while I deal with a far more important threat," she again looked at him, "I'm sure Captain Onasi has told you as such."

"So you say," Marshal Cato said as he stood glaring up at Revan's avatar with his beady eyes, "I personally doubt that any truth could come from your lying mouth. I find this story the Captain's told us of ancient evil machine implausible," he continued throwing a vicious look at Carth who shifted nervously, "besides Captain Onasi isn't the most reliable source… all things considering."

Carth rubbed his eyes and sighed. He'd told them everything in his report, made its as accurate as possible like a good sailor should and now it was coming back to bite him in the ass. Looking up he saw Revan staring at him and he was sure that under her mask a annoyed and surprised look was plastered on her face, "You told them?"

He nodded, "Yeah I wasn't gonna lie in my report beau-," he paused sure Revan would be upset if he called her by her pet name in front of these people, "Revan," he corrected hoping that they didn't notice his slip up. Thankfully they seemed not to.

Revan looked back at the Chancellor and the Marshal before rapping her fingers on her armored thigh, "Malak and the Star Forge is the threat. Even if you don't believe me you'd be a fool to refuse my offer," she said attempting to retain a diplomatic tone, "your fleets and armies are depleted, your reserves are nonexistent and you're critically low on fuel and munitions. My Chief of Intelligence, Reinhardt Vankonis, has estimated that within eight months, logistically you'll no longer be able to support forces in the field."

Biting his tongue Carth looked to the Fleet Admiral; he heard things were bad but he had no idea they were this bad… unless Revan's information was wrong? No, he shook his head. The Sith probably had the best intelligence in the Galaxy and she wouldn't have said something like that unless she was sure. Given the lack of response Carth believed she was right.

"How do we know if you will truly destroy this Star Forge," Dodonna asked, "once you kill Malak?"

"Come with me then," she said shocking everyone assembled, "as a joint operation to destroy Malak and the Star Forge."

XXX

To say that the young Jedi looked terrible was a serve understatement. She looked like she had spent a month in the ninth circle of hell. Her hair was matted with sweat; her nose was broken and blooded encrusted, while blood also seeped from her lips. Her body was a purple patchwork of bruises and contusions.

Reaching out with the Force and his hand Malak gently gripped Bastila's bloody face and titled it up to so he could stare into her swollen eyes while at the same time dropping the Force-Suppression Collar from her neck, "Can you hear me," Malak rumbled.

She locked eyes with him, eyes that were brimming with hate. The hate was not however directed at him he'd made sure of that.

Ironically it was Revan who pioneered the very techniques he was using. It was common to believe that you couldn't force a Jedi to fall, but Revan had proved otherwise. Take a Jedi, separate them from the Force and tortured them until they were drowning in pain, hate and anger before re-introducing them to the Force. The key was to use minions and lackeys to do the actual dirty work and to keep the Jedi's rage focused on them. To do otherwise was to create an apprentice that would try to murder you the first chance they got.

If Malak had still had his jaw he would have been grinning evilly as he looked down a Bastila. He could feel the rage and the hate pouring of her in waves, "Are you ready child… are you ready to take your rightful place amongst the Sith...," he leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "are you ready for the pain to stop?"

The bloodied Jedi nodded vehemently, "Those… men…,"she spat referring to her torturers who had inflicted such terrible tortures upon her.

With a wave of his hand Bastila's cuffs dropped to the floor and she stood warily and weakly. Malak turned as six guards drug Bastila's three torturers who were kicking and screaming before them. With a savage gleam in his eye he watched as Bastila flung herself at the pitifully begging men and tore them to shreds with the Force and her bare hands.

Malak watched the gruesome scene silently; it was a crude method to force a fall he admitted. Even Revan seldom used it. She preferred using logic, reason and subtle seduction as appose to brute force. When she was done she stood, blood dripping from hands, and knelt before him.

His eyes gleaming Malak commanded, "Rise my apprentice. We have much to do before Revan arrives."

XXX

Colonel Reinhart Vankonis found himself in the cantina onboard the_ Imperator _searching for a stiff drink. Looking around the room he shouted, "General," as he moved over and sat down next to him.

"Colonel," General Jaster Skirta said raising his glass filled with amber liquid, "what brings you down here," he finished taking a swig.

The Colonel quickly ordered a drink and sent the serving droid away before answering, "I just wanted to tell you that Miss…," he trailed off not quite sure what to call her, "the Mission girl is fitting in well," he said leaning forward and raising an eyebrow, "she already cracked LEPO."

Reinhardt had the satisfaction of seeing the usually stone-faced general look surprised, "Really," he said, "That's… impressive," and it was LEPO was one of the codes used by Republic Theater Commanders to speak to Central Command on Coruscant. It had taken the best cryptologist in the Sith Navy over a year to break it and this orphan girl from Taris and done it in a little over a week.

"Indeed," the aristocrat replied smiling as the serving droid returned with his drink. Taking it he sipped at the Correlian brandy and asked, "What do think of your sister allying us with the Republic?" He'd already formed his own opinion and wanted to know Jaster's thoughts on the matter.

The Commander of the Black Hand said putting his glass on the table, "It makes good sense for the moment. Once we finish with Malak we can figure out what to do with what's left of the Republic plus," he added with a pointed look at Reinhardt, "given the reports I've been receiving from your department… I'd estimate that even if we did halt all offensive operations immediately the Republic will still collapse due to civil unrest, rampant inflation and lack of infrastructure. So," he said draining his glass, "maybe it is better to wait."

Reinhardt nodded. That was along the lines of what he was thinking as well, "So we just wait for whatever fleet the Republic can scrape together to arrive and then take on Malak who by the way has Bastila and has probably turned her."

"Don't forgot the chances of the Republic and the Jedi trying to frack us over," Jaster said a small smile tugging at his lips.

The aristocratic intelligence chuckled darkly, "Of course I'd never forget that."

The two men sat at the table drinking and talking like the old war buddies they were, never mind the fact that they had fought a war on opposite sides. Finally Reinhardt leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, "Why do you think he did it," he asked. It was the one question that he could never quite seem to logically answer.

Jaster looked at him for a second before a look of realization came over his face, "You mean Malak," he answered.

"Aye," Reinhardt replied, "the man had everything. Power, responsibility, authority," he shrugged, "I'm sure Revan would have given the man anything he wanted. Plus… he had her," the general gave him a hard look at him and Reinhardt raised his hands, "if had a woman like Revan I'd have done anything for her."

"The man's a fool there's no doubt about that," Jaster growled and then sighed, "I'm not sure why exactly but I know this, Force Users are inherently unstable because of the power they wield. Some like my sister can master and control it and I think she thought Malak could has well," he paused a frown on his face, "I think her feelings… her love for him blinded her to the fact that he simply wasn't strong enough to stare in the abyss and survive. The Force can do terrible things to a person… or so I'm told."

Reinhardt nodded, "The Force is something I don't think I'll ever truly understand."

Jaster nodded in agreement as he stood, "Don't even think they understand it. Now come on Colonel. It'd look very bad if we were late."

XXX

"Nervous Mission," Revan asked looking down at her soon-to-be daughter as she rested her hand on the young woman's shoulder. Mission looked quite nice in her in her stylized Mandalorian battle armor that Revan had provided for her. Eventually Mission would have to build her own, but for now it would suffice.

Mission nodded eagerly and Revan smiled; she could feel the young Twi'leks happiness at finally having a family. Looking up she was her brother and Colonel Vankonis arrive. He and Zaalbar were the only non-Mandalorians in the room.

Revan saw Mission take a long look at the table where the equipment was being prepared for her tattooing. Revan had been preparing this for some time and had several of Clan Skirta's elders brought out here to do it, "Will it hurt," Mission asked looking up at her.

Subconsciously Revan rubbed her shoulder where one of her two tattoos was located, "It'll hurt for a bit, but you're older than I was so you'll probably be able to deal with it better, " she smiled remembering an old memory from her childhood, "itched for weeks and nearly drove me nuts."

A look that hung somewhere between laughter and nervousness flashed across Mission's face before one of the Clan elders called her over. After a quick hung Mission left to be informally inducted into Clan Skirta while Revan stayed back to wait for her part.

{_She looks very happy_,} Zaalbar woofed coming up to stand next to her, _{You'll take care of her… won't you?}_

"You don't even need to ask… she's my family now," Revan said softly catching the big Wookiee's eyes, "I swear I'll give her everything she could ever want… and some stuff she never thought she'd want."

{_What do you want me to do_?} Zaalbar asked her as he watched Mission.

The clan elder started on her left shoulder creating the tattoo that would signify her as a Mandalorian. It was a complicated procedure made more the complicate in that fact that the ink would grow and expand as the wearer grew.

"Go home," she said to the Wookiee's great surprise, "You don't owe me anything anymore and…" she said to snuff out the argument she knew was coming, "If it's a matter of the life-debt I don't need your protection. A stable Kashyyyk is more important than another bodyguard."

Revan watched as Zaalbar simply nodded without saying anything as he turned back to watch Mission. When the elder finally finished he waved Revan over and she went taking a seat next to Mission. She undid the portions of her armor the covered her right arm revealing her clan tattoo. The elder moved the ink gun and began to create an elaborate mark that would signify that she had a daughter. He would later create a similar marking on Mission's clan tattoo marking Revan as her mother.

XXX

Carth looked out from the bridge of the one-kilometer in circumference Inexpugnable-class tactical command ship _Courageous. _The _Courageous_ was the last ship of her class produced and the last surviving ship of her kind. The rest had been destroyed in either the Mandalorian War or the current war.

Admiral Dodonna had giving him command of the enormous saucer shaped ship, but he believed that it was so she could keep an eye on him, more than his skill as a captain. Nonetheless, as he looked out over the fleet assembled at fleet's forward base on Rilen he was impressed. There were far more ships gathered here than he thought the Republic could possibly muster. However that feeling died quickly as he realized of just how many ships Dodonna must have taken away from other sector and systems fleets to mass what they had here.

If the Republic lost this fleet it'd be all over, ceasefire or not. Walking down into the command pit he made his way to the helmsman and rested his hand on the young man's shoulder, "How's it going son?"

The crew of the _Courageous_ was young and that youngness showed. In the glory days of the Republic it would have been impossible for a man as young as this ensign to have been serving on a capital ship… let alone the Flagship of the Supreme Commander of the Republic Military.

"Gu… good sir… Captain uhhh," the young man who was probably fresh from the academy stuttered.

"Take it easy son," Carth said gently patting his shoulder. He remembered his first assignment as the helmsman of the _Swiftfoot _a fast attack frigate out on the Rim. He'd been just as nervous as the young helmsman here and all he had to worry about was pirates and smugglers not Darth Malak and a renegade portion of the Sith Fleet, "You'll do fine."

"Th- thank y-you sir."

Carth took the next half-hour to meet with the bridge crew; to learn where they were from and their names in an attempt to familiarize himself with his new command. It was these small things that would build loyalty and respect between the crewmen and their commander. When he was done he made his way out of the pit just in time to see Admiral Dodonna emerged from the turbo-lift.

"Admiral," Carth said with a polite nod.

"Captain," she returned with far more hostility in her tone as she handed off a datapad to her aide, "I want you to get the fleet ready to move out in three hours. We'll stop in Sector 341 and send scouts forward in case Revan has something else planned."

"Admiral," Carth started going to say that Revan would betray her word so casually but the look Dodonna gave him was enough in this case for him to clamp his mouth shut, "Aye aye."

XXX

Revan grit her teeth angrily as the annoying pitch of the comm bit through the air. Slapping the button on the nightstand she growled, "Jaster if this isn't important I'm gonna cut your balls off," she was damn tired and he had just interrupted one of her better night rests.

A low laughter issued over the communicator, "Sorry sister," he chuckled some before adding, "the Republic Fleet just arrive and we're beginning synchronizing maneuvers. I thought you might want to address that Dodonna bitch personally."

Blinking Revan glanced at her chrono and was shocked to see she had slept over twelve hours, "Give me a half hour to get ready." Sliding out of bed the Lord of the Sith made her way to the 'fresher' to take a quick shower and freshen up before exiting to don her armor and mask.

As she told her brother she ready and up in the fleet conference room along with Admiral Halsey, Field Marshal Swhartze and her brother. Several minutes later the doors hissed and in stalked Dodonna looking every bit as prim as Revan remembered. Flanking her were two Jedi Knights who starred hatefully at her and finally in came Carth dressed in what Revan only assumed was his finest dress uniform.

Revan felt as Dodonna try to pin her penetrating glare but she merely chuckled silently and sent the admiral a mock salute. Sensing she couldn't intimidate the Dark Lord of the Sith the admiral turned her glare on perhaps more 'mortal' targets like Halsey and Swhartze; officers whom she had previously served with.

Standing Revan waved her hand, "Won't you take a seat Admiral… Captain."

A pregnant pause occurred before Carth finally spoke up for the admiral, "Thank you… Lord Revan," as they took their seats. As he sat he flashed her a small smile which caused her to smile back even though she knew he couldn't see it.

With that Revan activated the holo-map and revealed her plan.

XXX

Carth listened with rapt attention as Revan laid out one of the ballsiest and well thought plan he'd ever heard of, no wonder the Sith were winning the war. After about three hours, nearly two of which had been spent in shouting match between the flag officers assembled and despite Carth's fear that Revan would kill Dodonna if she called her a bitch again, they finally managed to work out a complied Joint-Strike plan for the combined fleet.

"Captain Onasi," he heard Revan's mechanically tinged voice. Popping his head up at the sound he found Revan had turned towards Dodonna, "The Captain and I have something… personal to discuss." Dodonna looked like she just swallowed a shard of glass but if she had any objections she wisely kept them quiet while on the Sith Flagship.

He let Revan lead him through the corridors and once they were out of earshot he asked anxiously, "How've you been?"

Revan didn't initially answer but reached up and removed the Mask before attaching it to her belt. As he watched her remove the Mask Carth marveled as it folded and retracted. He'd never actually seen that before and he was so caught up in watching it her nearly didn't hear her say, "Everything's going great… I adopted Mission."

That didn't surprise him as much as he thought it would. He knew how much Revan loved the little Twi'lek and they had talked about it before, "Is she happy," he asked generally concerned for Mission's welfare. The little blue girl had grown on him too.

"I think so," Revan said thoughtfully rapping her fingers on her thigh armor, "here we are," she finally said stopping in front of a door, "give me a minute to get out of this before you come in."

He nodded as she ran her hand across his cheeks as she slipped into her quarters. He missed her in the weeks they'd been apart and while a small part of him rebelled at the thought of missing the Dark Lord of the Sith the rest of him was far to in love with the woman to care.

He leaned up against the wall wondering what was going to happen after this battle, assuming they won of course. If they lost it wouldn't matter much, but if they won he was sure he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

"Come in Carth," her muffled voice echoed through the wall.

Gulping Carth opened the door and entered Revan's quarters. Looking around she didn't see her but he was surprised that her quarters were so surprisingly Spartan. He would have expected the quarters of the Dark Lord of the Sith to be a little more… decorative, "Ya know Revan this room is kinda sparse."

"Well this isn't actually my room. I gave my room to Mission," she said and Carth's jaw dropped as she emerged from the 'fresher' dressed in only a black silk teddy that barely extended past her thighs. Suddenly he understood the expression 'less is more,' "What'd ya think," she asked with a saucy smile on her face.

"Jeeze," he hissed as he took in her appearance. "Revan, love, you're gonna kill me," he groaned against her lips as they embraced.

She broke the kiss and he could see a sad smile touch her lips, "Carth… you know this as well as I do that there are no assurances in war… I want this to be special. It might the last time we have together," she whispered planting feathery kiss on his lips and face.

Running his fingers through her hair he hugged her tighter to him, "Soon enough this is all gonna be over one way or another," he kissed her and let her lead him to bed.

XXX

Feeling sated Revan curled up against Carth resting her head on his naked chest simply listening to the sound of his heartbeat. Carth's hand rested on the small of her back rubbing in small circles as he looked down at her smiling.

"What time is," Revan asked hating to break the moment, but knowing there were more important things than her happiness at stake.

Carth frowned but rolled over for a second before rolling back with a grimace on his face, "0230."

Revan frowned as well, "The 2nd Strike Regiment will have landed by now," the battle had started and the fleet would have to get moving soon enough, "we should probably get out of bed," she said not really wanting to.

However she felt her determination melt when Carth cupped her face in her hands and kissed her. When his lips left hers she moaned in disappointment, "Revan I want to say something and if you moan like that again I'm not sure I'll be able too," he said with a chuckle.

Propping herself up on her elbow, "What did you want to say," she asked curiously as he rolled back over, leaned over the edge of the bed and rifled through the pockets of his pants before finally producing a small back box. Revan felt her throat choke up as she remembered, from the last time, what this meant and what happened last time, "Carth," she said warily.

Shushing her he pulled the sapphire bejeweled engagement ring and held it out to her, "Revan please take this back. No matter what happens I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I'll leave the navy and we can figure something out."

Revan felt tears gather in her eyes and finally she reached out and took the ring, "I'm not going to be able to wear it on my finger with my armor on," but at his confused but hopeful look she continued, "I'll put it on a chain and wear it around my neck," she paused, "we'll find a way," she promised.

"But first," she said gently kissing his lips before sliding out of bed, "we need to get up," and with that she began to slip into the bodysuit that she wore underneath her armor, "we both have a war to fight," she finished turning back to face him.

Carth who by this time was getting dressed himself shook his head, "I wish I could go with you," he said as he pulled on his pants.

Revan grimaced, there wasn't a snowball's chance in the nine hells she was gonna let him go with her to Lehon and definitely not the Star Forge, "you're a naval officer Carth and a damn fine one. You belong on the _Courageous _and not in ground combat," she stated trying to sound reasonable and not like a worried lover, which she technically was.

"I did pretty well when we were searching for the maps," Carth shouted back sounding offended as he buttoning his service jacket.

Sighing Revan had to admit that he didn't do bad, but this was different, "Yes Carth you did do well but that wasn't open war. This is a far different scenario; plus I not going to deny the fleet one of its best captains," she snapped before sighing again, "you can't come with me."

Carth sighed as well, "I know that," he sighed moving over to Revan who was nearly finished dressing and encircling her waist. Nuzzling her neck, "I'm just worried about you."

"I know," she whispered taking comfort in his warmth, "but this is how it has to be."

XXX

_Entry from__** Revan's commentaries on the Mandalorian and Jedi Civil Wars**_

_With the destructive of the Core Fleets the Republic was forced to shift all of its efforts into fighting a purely defensive war. To that extent they attempted to create highly defended "Fortress Worlds" guarded by systematically layered defenses and protected planetary shields and surface to space weaponry. _

_Fortunately for me and unfortunately for them they started their projects far too late for most of the Inner-Rim. My forces would overrun most of these worlds before the defenses ever got a chance to come on line and be of any use. _

_While the Republic scrambled to defend what was left of the Inner-Rim and the still untouched Core it left me free reign in the rest of the galaxy. Long standing hold-outs in the Colony Regions, and the Inner-Rim began to collapse quickly after realizing just how bad things had become._

_However any achievement on the battlefield would be out shadowed at home. Over this time I didn't realize just how far apart Malak and I had drifted. Malak had been my closest, and only childhood, friend as well as my lover. In the Mandalorian War Malak had been my strong right arm on which I could always trust to carry out my orders and commands. But unfortunately he changed during the Mandalorian War and even more so during the interlude between the two wars. Malak became harder, crueler though my personal relationship with him stopped me from seeing it. I changed as well but my love for him never waned. I thought his didn't either._

_After the incident with the Jedi in which Malak lost his jaw he became even more insubordinate and withdrawn from me. We became less and less intimate between this time and the time when he betrayed me. In hindsight I suppose it was obvious that he would betray me but at the time I just couldn't see it… blinded as I was._


	17. Chapter 16: Into the Breach

Sorry this took so long I spent a week at Camp Atterbury for the Army's Fall field training exercise.

Chapter 16: Into the Breach

It was quite therapeutic Revan mused, to watch the swirling blue-white lights of hyperspace. There was an old spacer's tale that said that you could go mad by watching the lights. While Revan never believe old spacer's tales she had to admit one could get lost in the endless swirls.

With a quick shift of her eyes she glanced at her mask's internal clock and saw that they were due to come out of hyperspace shortly. A quick look around the bridge would have told the same. She was proud of the discipline and the stoicism the crew showed. They were all veterans of many battles and campaigns across the galaxy. Some of the faces she recognized from the time of the Mandalorian War while others were newer and unknown to her.

Restlessly she began to pace before the window ignoring the nervousness it caused the crew. She wasn't afraid of the battle to come; it was just one more in a lifetime of battles. This battle however was different because she would have to kill an old friend, an old lover. She killed many old friends in her war to rule the galaxy, but Malak was different. Malak was someone whom she once loved and someone who arguably knew her better than anyone else alive.

She would have to kill him and that thought caused far more pain than she thought it would. She didn't love Malak… not anymore, not after his betrayal and attempted regicide. Revan brought her gloved hand up to her chest plate where underneath she could feel Carth's ring up against her chest. It was something she took comfort in its presence.

She was interrupted from her revelry when her flag captain, a man named Marks, approached her from behind, "Milord we're just about to drop out of hyperspace."

Revan turned to look at the captain, "Thank you," and turned back to face the viewport just in time to see the blue-white swirl slow until the stars became individual specks of lights again. Glancing out she saw the planet Lehon reflecting the light from the system's only star. The one thing she didn't see was Malak's fleet which meant it was still holding near the Forge.

The landing of the Second Strike Regiment among others things was an attempt to move Malak's fleet out of position. If he moved his fleet to support his troops on Lehon he'd leave himself out of position and with his back to the planet when her main fleet arrived.

"Com Scan," she called out without turning around.

"We're detecting Malak's fleet," the officer responsible for the sensor systems called back, "It's moving towards us at flank speed."

"Signal the fleet to move towards Lehon," Revan ordered. They had to relieve Sharp and his men before they were overwhelmed.

Slowly the massive fleet moved, the glow of its engines looking like thousands of small stars. The fleet moved in three enormous formations. Vice-Admiral Halsey commanded the left flank contain roughly two-thousand capital ships and double that smaller support ships. The Republic Fleet Admiral Dodonna commanded the right flank. Her fleet was smaller than Halsey's right with only half as many capital ships and support ships. Revan herself commanded the strong center with close to four thousand capital ships including ten Centurion- Class Battleships not including her own flagship.

Malak commanded close to six thousand capital ship and again as many support ships. Though the one field where he outweighed her heavily was in fighter support. Revan knew the capability of the Star Forge and just how easily he could mass produce fighters. Therefore Revan had ordered to keep the fighter closer to the cruisers and frigates to keep them from being surrounded and destroyed piece-meal.

As the ships drove towards the Star Forge and Lehon they disgorged streams of fighters which swarmed around the capital ships in a defensive screen. Revan watched from her position as bursts of green and red lights began to flash as the capital ships began to exchange skirmishing fire.

"Milord," her flag captain said again, "the troop transports are heading down and your shuttle awaits your presence."

Revan turned to leave with a twirl of her cloak, "You have the bridge Captain."

XXX

So it begins, Malak thought darkly staring out the windows on the observation deck. From his position he could see slivers of silver that were capital ships and the brief bursts of light that meant they were firing.

"Master," a cool feminine voice called from behind him. Malak turned to see his new apprentice the former Jedi padawan Bastila Shan kneeling before him, "Revan has arrived," she said and Malak nearly rolled his eyes in response. Of course Revan was here, who else would it be? "And a Republic Fleet is with her," she finished with a small smirk.

That the usurping Dark Lord of the Sith hadn't expected. If seemed impossible that Revan would ally herself with her former enemy or that the Republic would ally with someone who had warred against them for so long and so successfully. But perhaps it was true what they say, 'the enemy of my enemy…'

"Do you wish me to head back to the command deck so I may use my Battle Meditation," the fallen Jedi Bastila said eagerly through bloodless lips.

Malak shook his head, "It would be useless. Revan would certainly shield her troops from its effects. Plus," he added with a scowl as she opened her mouth to argue, "given that over half my forces are mechanical the effect will be negligible. You'll be far more useful to me at full strength when Revan comes."

The Sith Lord didn't miss the look of fear that entered his apprentice's face. Truth be told it was the same fear he had since the moment he learned she still lived. On the _Leviathan_, realized angrily he had missed his best chance to be rid of her. On his former flagship she had been confused and unsure of herself, but know her old fire was back and she would burn him to ashes with it.

XXX

Revan stood in the troop bay of a Sith dropship her right hand over her head clasping the handle bar to prevent from falling as the craft shook from atmospheric reentry. It was these small things like riding down to combat with her men instead of in some plush shuttle that earned her their loyalty. She had always made it known that she would endure every hardship they would, she'd eat the same food they ate, she'd sleep in the trenches, etc, etc.

Canderous had thrown a fit when he found out that she was going down in one of the standard dropships along with one of the companies of 114th Armored Regiment instead of her heavily armored and shielded shuttle with her Black Hand personal bodyguard. Nonetheless she was master and in the end Canderous relented.

With a jolt the ship shook and Revan knew they had landed. The sergeant shouted orders to the men who stood and readied their weapons as the dropship's back door dropped open. There LZ had been fairly secured by the troopers of the 2nd Strike regiment, but still the incoming soldiers filed off the transport as quickly as possible to avoid tempting fate.

As the troopers dashed to their pre-assigned rally points Revan strode down the ramp scanning the wide open field where the shuttle had landed.

"My Lord," an officer shouted as he ran up to her. The officer had his helmet tucked underneath his arm and saluted.

"Beneath her mask Revan raised an eyebrow, "Who are you? Where's Colonel Sharp," she barked.

"Captain Winters ma'am, acting commander of the 2nd Strike Regiment," he said standing at attention, "The colonel bit it about an hour after we landed. Now if you'll come with me ma'am my men have the temple surrounded?"

"Very well captain," Revan said and let him led her to a A-3 "Puma" fast repulsorlift vehicle used by Strike troopers for hit and fade attacks. It was a sleek vehicle with an open top and a mounted repeating blaster rifle on the back.

The captain shifted the landspeeder into gear and slammed down on the accelerator sending them flying down the dirt road that lead towards the temple. As the speeder flew on Revan noticed a long ragged stream of troopers marching with hands held over their heads being guarded by troopers of the 2nd Strike.

"Prisoners," Winter's explained when he saw her looking at them, "the troops stationed here haven't been putting up much of a fight. Except for the forces stationed right around the temple itself everyone else only seems to surrender after token resistance."

"They know they're backing the wrong person," she said grinning beneath her mask as she rapped her fingers on the dash, "make sure the prisoners are not mistreated. I want them to know that their… transgressions can be forgiven."

"Very good ma'am," the captain said and Revan knew he was telling the truth. He was smart enough to know that her actions here could reverberate throughout the rest of the galaxy. If she was too harsh then it could alienate her support among those who saw her as a liberator. By the same token if she was too lineate with those who turned against her, the Sith Lords and Dark Jedi would view her as weak and unfit to lead the empire.

Eventually the speeder slowed down and Revan could see a dozen heavy artillery pieces, repulsortanks and a least six companies of infantry. Leaping out of the speeder Revan looked to the captain, "Winters see to your men."

The Strike Captain eagerly saluted and headed off to tend to his men and get them back behind the lines were they could rest, regroup and get some hot food. His men had been up a long time.

Moving towards the headquarters tent Revan was greeted by a man wearing a corporal's insignia who quickly ushered her in where see was greeted by the Lieutenant-Colonel in charge of the Armored Regiment.

"Sitrep," she said to the officer who immediately brought her over to the map that had been laid out.

Pointing down to the map the officer circle the temple, "We estimate that Brigadier General Malcolm Horace has at least two companies of troopers dug in tight around the temple and are refusing to answer our calls for surrender."

"He's probably scared to death of the Dark Jedi Malak's undoubtedly stationed in the temple," she said with humor in her tone causing all the men in the tent to chuckle nervously.

"Of course milord," he agreed, "However we still have the problem of the force shield; so far all are attacks have failed to penetrate it."

"Leave that to me. Just be ready to attack when the shield falls," and with a twirl of her she left the tent and headed back outside. When she emerged from the tent she found Canderous and her eight man bodyguard team waiting for her.

"Lord Mandalore," Canderous said respectfully with a slight nod of his head.

"Canderous," she said smiling beneath her helmet while clapping him on the shoulder, "Since to see you made it down."

"Please," Canderous said with a deep chuckle as he took a deep drag on the cigar he had, "after everything I've been through there was no way in the nine hells that a little triple A was gonna kill me. So…" he drawled, "how are we gonna get through that shield. "

"It's simple actually," Revan stated to Canderous's surprise, "the shield's not made of charged ions like normal shield… it's made of the Force. The temple was designed to be accessed by Force-Users. The shield was designed to keep people who didn't belong there out."

"You can get us in?"

"Easily," she said as she turned to face the direction the temple was in, "follow me."

XXX

Captain Carth Onasi stood on the bridge of the Courageous looking out over the battlefield. Malak had thrown what seemed like an endless wave of fighters in a horrifying wave of steel at the Sith and Republic Fleets. Now those fighter drifted lifelessly as debris as a testament to that failed attack.

Whoever was in charge of the renegade Sith Fleet was far more cautious after the failure of the first attack. The two great Fleets hung in space neither quite willing to start what would be one of the greatest naval battles in history. Instead they sniped at each other at maximum distance with their heavy cannons.

This was the type of fight that actually favored the Republic Hammerhead-Class Cruiser over the Sith Interdictor Cruiser. The Sith ships focused on flexibility with multiple batteries all over the ship to give it a 360 degree firing arc. The Hammerheads on the other hand focused most of their firepower, eight heavy turbolasers , forward. The problem was that those guns were the only anti-ship guns on the ship the rest along the sides were point-defense/anti-starfighter weapons. The Republic capital ships therefore had to rely on their support ships and fighters far more than the Sith did denying them the flexibility in battle that the Sith enjoyed.

This skirmishing would only go for so long until one side decided they had enough and the battle was joined proper. Once that happened things would get ugly as formations broke apart and thousands of capital ships entered their deadly danced of destruction.

Despite the fact that he was about to be involved in one of the greatest naval battles in history his thoughts were on Revan and her mission on the planet's surface.

"Captain," he heard the sensor officer call out, "Malak's forces are moving forward on masse. The Sith Loyalists are moving forward to meet them."

Apparently their commander had overcome his skittishness. Carth opened his mouth to order the fleet to keep pace with their allies but Dodonna countered that order when she shouted, "Hold position."

Frowning Carth turned and marched up to the admiral before quietly asking, "Were not going to advance with the rest of the fleet," what she was ordering went completely against the plan they had established before the battle.

"Follow your orders Captain," the Admiral said tersely while glaring at him.

For a second Carth wanted to argue but the Admiral's look told him that it wouldn't get him anywhere. Sullenly he said, "Yes ma'am," and relayed the Admiral's orders.

Making his way back to the front of the bridge he noticed the comm officer coming up to talk to him, "Sir," he started nervously gesturing to the comm section of the pit, "Admiral Halsey's on the line and he sounds pissed."

Carth grimaced before saying, "Ignore him."

XXX

The shield was down and Revan crouched in the trenches as the artillery section of the 114th armored let loose a hail of hell down upon the temple. Revan wasn't the least bit worried about them damaging the temple itself. An analysis on the materials it was constructed out of revealed that it takes the force far beyond even a capital ship's cannons to destroy it.

Revan looked up and down the trench at the silver armored Sith Troopers and obsidian armored Black Hand with their weapons ready waiting for the order to go over-the-top. The cannons pounded ferociously and Revan glanced up at the mission chrono ticking away at the top right corner of her mask.

When it hit zero the cannons ceased. Revan opened a comm channel shouting, "Go Go Go," and with that she vaulted over the top on the trench and ran with the about four companies worth of troopers behind her. About twenty meters out of the trench the heavy repeating blasters, at least those that were still operable, opened up in a hail of ruby red light.

Igniting her sabers she batted away the bolts aimed at her and the men behind her. Some however weren't fast enough or lucky enough and went down screaming in agony or fell dead. Most though manage to make it into the impact craters created by the artillery where they were protected from the murderous fire.

With a laughter filled voice Canderous landed next to her in the crater, "Damn I missed this," he said as he popped up and fired at one of the gun positions. Revan let out a chuckled as he said that. There was something that caused her blood to sing when she enter combat. She truly did love it.

Suddenly a whistling sound filled the air. It was a sound every foot soldier knew and feared… mortars, "Incoming," she shouted as they fell around them.

"Dammit," Canderous cursed shaking the dirt off his armor, "That was too damn close. We need to move," he growled letting loose a long burst with his rifle.

"Agree," she nodded and leapt from the crater blocking the odd bolts that were aimed at her. Gathering the Force as she ran she through a powerful blast of energy at a gun nest. Not stopping to see the results she sprinted towards the enemy trench line.

A few of troopers took shots at her but she effortlessly batted them away. Using the Force to augment her strength she leapt soaring into the air and landing behind the trooper in the trench. Swirling with her sabers she cut down the soldiers that had been behind her then thrusting out her arms she sent a Force wave down each side off the trench.

"Do you really want to fight me," she asked darkly looking back up and down the trenches as the enemy troopers slowly stood and looked warily at one another.

Eventually one trooper threw down his weapon, "Frack this," he shouted and raised his hands in surrender. One by one the rest of the troopers followed their comrade's lead and threw down their weapons in surrender. Obviously none of them had the stomach to fight the Dark Lord of the Sith.

"Police them," she ordered as her own troops stormed the trenches. Then signaling Canderous and her guard Revan swiftly moved out of the back of the trench until they were at the base of the twenty meter tall white-washed wall. Her Black Hand team readied their ascension guns and on Revan's signal launched them into the air.

XXX

Malak watched with building rage as the battle dragged on. His fleet was steadily losing ground against Revan's and was being forced ever closer and closer back to the Star Forge. Clenching his fist in anger so hard that his nails drew blood Malak cursed,damming Revan for not dying and ruining all of his plans.

However on slight ray of hope still shone through the dreary clouds that seemed to hang around him; that sole hope was the fact that the Republic Fleet had yet to engage his own. He didn't know why Dodonna was holding back but the fact that she did increased his Admiral's chances of winning. He'd been amazed when he first saw the Republic Fleet taking up positions next to Revan and now he was just as amazed to see that they weren't doing anything.

His eyes set hard he watched the Fleets dance their deadly dance. Almost immediately he recognized that Revan was not in personal command of the Fleet. It lacked the… flair that he associated with her command.

Feeling a presence behind him he turned to see his apprentice kneeling before him, "You have something to report Bastila," Malak growled at the woman.

"We've lost contact with the 9th Division on Lehon," Bastila said still staring down at the tips of her boots, "the last report General Horace sent out before communications were severed was that Revan's forces were fast encroaching upon the temple itself."

Turning back with a swirl of his cape he starred out the window quickly finding the small blue orb that was Lehon. He tried ever since he became Dark Lord of the Sith to learn the secrets stashed away on the world. Apparently he was never going to find out what was stored there.

The door swish and Bastila left. The moment after Malak heard a voice reverberate through the Force, "_We can still stop her… together Lord Malak_."

Malak couldn't help the shiver that went up his spine whenever he heard that… thing talk to him. Realistically Malak knew the odds were stacked up against him but as the Forge spoke all those worries seemed to simply wash away leaving only steadfast resolve.

XXX

The interior of the temple was a practical labyrinth of hallways and passages. Fortunately so that they themselves didn't get lost the Sith had clearly marked the passage ways. Revan had sent Canderous and the Black Hand Troopers off towards the top of the temple to capture the renegade general while she went alone deep into the bowls of the ancient Rakatan temple.

What Revan sought was stored at the very bottom of the temple locked inside an impregnable room that couldn't be opened unless allowed to enter. She slowed down as she came closer to the antechamber as she sensed two Dark Jedi in the room. Growling angry she drew her sabers and ignited them bathing the darkened hallway in red light.

Rounding the corner Revan let her Force presence through her shields and she felt a small smile touch her lip as she saw their eyes go wide in shock as the turned to face her.

"Rev-Revan," the male Dark Jedi stuttered fearfully as he drew his saber but didn't ignite it. The female did the same glance worriedly at the male.

"This is your one chance. Get out of my way and I'll let you live," The Dark Lord of the Sith growled menacingly brandishing her sabers and letting the Force crackle around her.

"Malak said you were nothing but a shadow of your former self," the female said glaring at her but her glare was weak and lacked resolve. After gathering their courage they both lit their sabers and brandished them, "You are no longer worthy to lead the Sith."

Revan said nothing and merely twirled her sabers once more as the Dark Jedi advanced upon her. They struck from opposite sides using radically different styles in an attempt to unbalance her. It was a common strategy when dealing with a superior swordsman. Revan held her ground until the last possible second when she exploded into action. With swipes so fast the eye could barely follow Revan decapitated the male and lopped off the female's leg.

The woman fell to the ground writhing and screaming in pain as she clutched the blackened stump of her right leg. Placing the tip of her right hand saber at the woman's throat she was about to run her through when the Dark Jedi begged in between hisses of pain, "Please… milord… mercy."

For a second Revan stayed her blade before finally speaking, "Some… the rank and file… can be forgiven this day for their treachery… but not all. I gave you power, position, authority and you spat in my face. For that," she said darkly, "there can be no forgiveness," and then she killed her.

Returning her saber to her belt she moved towards the enormous stone door. Placing her hand upon the intricately carved door she sent out pulses of the Force. Unlike the rest of the Rakatan doors this one didn't merely use the Force as method to open the door but as a key as well. The door was keyed to certain individual and would only open for them. Seconds later she felt a pulse run through her hand, the length of her body and then back into the door.

Returning her hand to her side Revan merely waited until moments later the doors slid open revealing a large dark chamber with a single discernible feature in the middle of the room… a large computer.

"Greetings lord Revan" a voice issuing from the computer said sounding pleased, "I was beginning to fear your life force may have been terminated. Though I see by your presence that fear was in error."

"Are your files still secure," Revan asked skipping any formalities. This was the entire reason she was here not to make pleasantries with an ancient Artificial Intelligence Program.

"Of course," the ancient AI said sounding somewhat annoyed, "the bald one has attempted many times to enter this chamber but he has not succeeded."

Reaching into one of the pouches on her belt she removed a small stone sized data-crystal and placed it on one of the AI's data slots, "Download every scrap of information you have on record and then initiate a purge of all your systems," she paused, "I'm sorry," she said and she meant it, "the knowledge you carry is too dangerous to be left here now that the temple's location has been compromised. "

It was now the AI's turn to pause. It knew very well what Revan was asking it to do, "Very well Revan initiating download," it finally said, "I suppose congratulations are in order though."

Revan blinked in confusion … congratulations? Why would it congratulate her… for regaining her empire? She hadn't quite done that yet.

"I am pleased that you chose to procreate," it said oblivious to her shock, "it would have been a shame to have your genes die with you. You are quite the extraordinary individual."

"Pro-procreate," she stuttered stupidly her wits having taken temporary leave. Her hand found its way down to her stomach. Reaching in with the Force she found a life, small as it may be, growing inside her… she was having Carth's baby. The though filled her with equal parts joy and dread. The reason she hadn't felt it before was the fact that it was only about a day old, "I'm surprise your sensors are delicate enough to pick it up," she eventually said regaining some composure.

"Indeed," the AI intoned and then said, "Data uploaded… will that be all?"

Revan nodded grabbing the disk and placing it in one of her belt pouches. Then removing a small thermal charge and placed it on the computer and set the timer, "Goodbye," she said turning to leave the room.

She had a fleet to get back to; a battle to win… and she had to tell Carth about his child.

XXX

"That's enough Admiral," Carth shouted crossing the deck until he was right in the admiral's face, "We came here to destroy Malak and the Star Forge not to sit on our asses while our allies die!"

"At ease Captain," Dodonna barked angrily at him, "You will do as I command! We are here to ensure the survival of the Republic! That is all," she finished dismissively as she turned to face the small elven-like Jedi who had entered the bridge, "Master Vandar," she called out, "are your knights ready?"

"Ready they are Admiral," the little Jedi Master said nodding his head.

Carth looked down at the Jedi Master and almost immediately recognized the Jedi from Dantooine that had helped train, or rather retrain, Revan after she had had her memory suppressed. His lips twitched as he looked back up the Admiral, "What's going on here Admiral?"

A small thin smile touched the Admiral's lips, "A small Jedi and Naval Commando strike team is going to fly the gauntlet and board the Star Forge. Intel believes that the structure is far too armored and shielded to destroy from the outside. So we'll have to infiltrate the Forge and destroy it from within."

"Revan told us that it was too dangerous for Jedi to enter the Forge," Carth said carefully looking between Vandar and Dodonna. While even he had a hard time believing just how powerful the Forge was he trusted Revan.

Dodonna huffed and shook her head, "I would have thought you smarter than that Captain," she scoffed, "Revan is just trying to frighten us off. It's obvious she has no intentions to destroy the Star Forge."

"Admiral if Revan wanted an excuse to keep us off the Forge she surely would have come up with a better story," Carth argued logically. Revan was one of the greatest military minds the galaxy had even seen and he doubted that she would lie that poorly.

"Trust a Sith you cannot Captain Onasi. Treachery, lies, deceit are her ways," the Jedi Master intoned with a scowl on his face, "Destroyed this Star Forge must be."

"If you can't deal with that Captain," Dodonna threatened.

Setting his jaw Carth nodded, "I'm fine Admiral," he said trying to keep out any of the hostility he felt for her out of his tone.

"Good then order the Fleet to engage in order to provide cover for our infiltration team," she ordered clasping her hands behind her back.

"Yes Ma'am."

XXX

Exiting her shuttle Revan strode down into the hanger bay where she found a familiar black uniformed officer waiting for her with a bleak expression on his face.

"Milord we have a problem," Colonel Reinhardt Vankonis, the aristocratic intelligence officer, said deadpan as he came up next to her.

From beneath her mask Revan glared at him. Of course they had a fracking problem… the fracking Republic fleet wouldn't fracking carry out what they had fracking planed. It was supposed to be a fairly simple operation and now Dodonna had thrown a Gundark wrench into the whole fracking thing. Taking a calming breath, Reinhardt didn't deserve her anger, "What's wrong now?"

"Dodonna's finally started moving," he said grimily and before Revan could ask what was wrong he added, "and a small detachment of fighters and gunships are making a B-line straight for the Forge… the fighters are moving like they're flown by Jedi."

Clenching her fists Revan swore vehemently. She'd warned them about how dangerous the Forge was and they completely ignored her. Requesting a SITREP she was at least pleased to learn that Malak's fleet was near the breaking point and all it needed was one good push.

"Colonel inform Captain Marks to break Malak's line," she ordered the colonel before turning to Canderous who had been at her side since they left the planet, "Canderous assemble the men and ready the gunships. We're moving in head of schedule."

"Yes Lord Mandalore," Canderous said thumping his right fist over his chest in salute before rushing off to assemble the Black Hand Special teams that would storm the Star Forge alongside her.

As Revan ordered, the Sith ships, which had previously only been attempting to hold Malak's fleet in place, now attempted to break through the lines. The Sith center, anchored around the _Imperator_ drove forward weapons ablaze with red fire. Two renegade Sith ships that had been taking position in the middle of Malak's line withered under the concentrated fire.

After their shields finally fell flames leap along the sides of the ships as they were struck by heavy cannon fire. Listing badly the sides the two cruisers moved at the best speed they were still capable of away from the battle.

That was what Revan was waiting for and the center fleet moved to widen the gap they created in their enemy's line. At the same time half a dozen heavily armored gunships each carrying a full platoon of Black Hand Special Forces Troopers detached themselves from the _Imperator_ and sped at full speed towards the Star Forge.

Hanging on tightly to the hand rail Revan flinched as an explosion rocked the gunship. Muttering under her breath at the near miss she briefly wondered what would have happened if that shot had taken her out. She only gave that a seconds thought before pushing it aside… it didn't happen and it wouldn't happen… she didn't believe the Force would allow her to die before her mission was accomplished.

Standing up she moved to the cockpit in order to get a good look out the window. The Star Forge grew ever larger in the view screen blocking out almost anything else. The pilot manipulated the controls and guided the gunship towards the lower docking bays.

Skillfully the pilot weaved and juked through the waves of incoming fire from the Star Forge itself and swarms of droid controlled Sith Interceptors between them and their target. Gripping the seat tight Revan felt her stomach lurch as the pilot pulled the ship into a series of flips and rolls in order to avoid enemy fire. At least one of the gunships though wasn't as lucky and a laser strike struck it head on, destroying it instantly.

Finally the gunship passed through the hanger bay shield and landed. Revan stood and gripped her sabers as she turned and marched down the landing ramp with her Black Hand Special Forces troopers in tow.

Revan glanced around as the four surviving platoons formed a security perimeter and secured the multitude of corpses, both Republic and renegade Sith alike. Frowning Revan cursed at Dodonna's idiocy. She had gotten a lot of her men killed today. Quickly though Revan noticed there was that there wasn't enough corpses to account for all the transports and fighters; plus she didn't notice any Jedi.

Gritting her teeth Revan wondered just how long they had left. The Star Forge was extremely seductive, especially for Jedi. It was one of the reasons that she had always tasked Mandalorians to guard the Forge as their mental disciple rendered them immune to the mind altering effects of the Force. Their discipline on the other hand had the negative effect of disrupting their connection to the Force, assuming they had any to begin with.

"Alright men," Revan called out catching their attention, "Platoon Leaders, you all have your assignments," they were to fight their way to critical sections of the Star Forge and plant high yield thermo-baric charges. Once they were ready they could destroy the Forge at will.

"Milord," Canderous said coming up next to her, "we're short a single platoon. Grady's gunships didn't make it."

"I know," she replied, "That's while you and your men will take over his target," and before he could argue Revan raised her hand, "I can more than handle myself Canderous… and I have to face Malak alone."

Even from beneath his helmet Revan could sense his displeasure but Canderous had the good grace not to say anything in front of the men. Instead he saluted before turning and saying, "Move out boys," as he started to move he whispered, "Good luck."

Revan steeled herself and took once last glance at Canderous and her men before heading into the station.

"_Welcome back Lord Revan_."

XXX

_**On the Star Forge**__ an expect from __**Entry from Revan's commentaries on the Mandalorian and Jedi Civil Wars**_

_The Star Forge was a giant automated shipyard constructed by the Rakatan Infinite Empire near the apex of their civilization. The Star Forge was fuelled by the energy and matter from a nearby star, which when combined with the power of the Dark Side of the Force was capable of creating a nearly endless supply of ships, droids and other war material. _

_This technological marvel came at a terrible cost as the Rakata were by nature a cruel and savage species and the Star Forge began feeding off of these negative traits inherent in its creators. As a result the Star Forge became an immense tool of dark side power. _

_The Star Forge, now a fusion of technology and dark side energies, began corrupting the Rakata in order to gain the immense power it required to operate itself and ultimately caused the collapse of the Rakatan Empire. _

_Using information I had discovered on Malachor and other ancient Sith worlds managed to find the first Star Map on Dantooine which led me to the others and eventually the Star Forge itself. The Sith texts were sketchy on what the "Great Weapon" as they called it exactly was. From their writings I was able to gather that the ancient Sith believe that it was the source of the Rakatan's power._

_At first when I set foot upon the station I was in awe of its majesty and in my arrogance assumed that all the Star Forge was… a space station. It wasn't until several weeks after my discovery I realized my error. The Star Forge wasn't just some ancient factory it was a living creature with a will of its own. I moment I realized that I immediately put steps into action to limit my exposure and the exposure of my men to prevent it from influencing us._

_It was something I wasn't completely successful at._


	18. Chapter 17: Settling Accounts

For note the Lt. Commander Dodonna that 'writes some of the little excerpts is a different woman than the fleet admiral. The former I imaged as some military historian in the rise of the empire era.

Chapter 17: Settling Accounts

All hell had broken loose as the space battle in the Lehon system devolved from orderly lines of battle to an all-out slugging match. The renegades were now split into two main groups after their center had been broken and were slowly being ground to pieces. The mostly droid controlled ships did fine when engaged in mass formation fighting, but they were less effective when split second decisions had to be made in the heat of battle.

From the bridge of the _Courageous_ Captain Carth Onasi looked out of the view screen just in time to see another ship explode in a great ball of thermonuclear fire. He winced as one of his frigates listed badly to the side as flames burst from its right flank before extinguishing itself in the void of space.

The _Courageous_ shuttered as ruby red turbo-laser bolts struck and dissipated on the shields of the Republic Flagship. Moments later it shuttered again as it returned fire sending bright green bolts back in kind. Carth watched as the first salvo knocked out the renegade Sith Cruiser's already failing shields and the second tore long gashes in its hull.

The fire control officer shouted an order to fire again and then another round of salvos left the _Courageous's _guns. Again Carth watched as the salvo's slammed into the unshielded cruiser causing even more damage and taking out one of the major starboard batteries.

Suddenly Carth shifted his gaze as one of the icons on his holographic display began to flash red and beep franticly. Grimacing Carth tapped several keys on his console bringing up a more detailed situation report. The _Valiant,_ a Hammerhead Class Cruiser, had suffered catastrophic damage; her main guns were out of commissions, she was venting atmosphere from all decks and three-fourths of her crew were dead.

Unfortunately the_ Valiant_ was far from the first Republic casualty they suffered today. Over a dozen capital ships and as many again support ships had either been outright destroyed or abandoned due to battle damage… and they had joined the battle late. Carth knew the Sith casualties must have been five or ten times greater than that.

Frowning he also knew that they hadn't even engaged the Star Forge itself yet and the moment they did… well he shuddered to think of what that monstrous station would do to them.

XXX

Sabers dangling unlit at her sides Revan moved upwards along the interior of the Star Forge; every step permeated by the ancient structure's voice. Sometimes the voice was mocking, laughing at her blindness to see Malak's betrayal. Other times it was sweet and cajoling as it whispered bribes and promises into her ear if she would return to it.

Unlike the first time she came the Forge's promises held no sway over her and she effortlessly ignored it and kept going. Revan though was surprised because she hadn't run into any opposition so far. She had been expected to be knee deep in bodies as Malak and the Star Forge threw wave after wave of droids and troopers at her, but they never came and that honestly concerned her more than if they were swarming her. She'd seen bodies of course, dozens of Sith troopers, Republic commandos and Dark and Light Jedi who had fought along the causeways.

As she neared the top of the ramp and the blast door to the command deck she heard a faint whimpering issuing from the area in where the corner of the blast door met the railing of the ramp. Resting her right hand on its corresponding saber Revan approached the source of the sound.

When she got close enough she recognized the source of the sound as a young Jedi who was curled up in a ball with tears streaming down his face. The Jedi knight wailed pitifully and rocked unstably as he whispered over and over again, "Make it stop, make it stop."

Beneath her mask Revan frowned. This was what she had wanted to stop. Dodonna and the Jedi had no idea just what they were fighting, the irrevocable evil they were up against. The Jedi she sent wouldn't understand how to protect themselves from it and this was the result. The commandos, if any had the misfortune to still be alive, would suffer a similar fate.

Igniting her right hand saber she allowed pity to stay her hand, but only for a second before driving her saber through his brain. There was absolutely nothing that could be done to help those once the Star Forge took complete control of them. The… indoctrination… the Forge forced upon them was irreversible.

Instead of returning her saber to her belt Revan kept it out as she sensed a familiar presence on the other side of the blast door… Bastila. Revan tightened the grip on her saber and frowned; the young woman was probably beyond her help.

Walking forward to the blast door Revan removed her second saber from her belt as the door slid open and walked into the command deck. Revan briefly took noticed of the massive hologram which showed an extremely detailed map of the ongoing battle and smirked slightly; at least the Republic had finally gotten involved in the battle.

"Hello Revan," she heard a voice called saucily and she saw Bastila emerge through the hologram. The former Jedi sauntered forward swaying her hips sexily as she waved her unlit saberstaff in her right hand, "Malak said you come."

The Lord of the Sith evaluated the fallen Jedi who stood before her. It looked as if all the color had drained from her faces, bluish veins stood out of her face and her eyes were a sulfurous golden color. This was what happened to those who couldn't harness the power of the Dark-Side, it rotted and corrupted them from the inside out.

"Of course I'd come," Revan replied and ignited her unlit saber, "though I'd I be lying if I said you looked good," she said deadpan as they began to encircle one another, like wolves sizing each other up.

"Such is the face of power," Bastila sneered contorting her once beautiful features, "You were right," she continued spitting out, "when you said I was a slave to the council."

"And now you've merely traded one master for another," Revan countered. In truth it had been no different from what she herself had offered Bastila, but at the moment that was irrelevant.

"No," she barked vehemently her eyes flashing with barely contained rage, "I am a lord of the Sith… one day I'll be the Dark Lord and the empire will me mine to rule."

Revan shook her head sadly, "Poor, poor Bastila," she said, "you actually think…," Revan trailed off with a short laugh, "You're not a Sith, Bastila. No more than Malak or I am." She could tell that her words shocked and confused the former Jedi, "Do you think I care for the glory of a long fallen empire," she continued, "Sith… Sith is but a title to frighten the Republic and give others something to rally around… I care nothing for Jedi or Sith," she paused changing the subject slightly, "My Jedi Master despised the Force did you know that?"

The rage faded from Bastila's eyes and they narrowed as she glared, "I highly doubt a Jedi Master would hate the Force."

Revan simultaneously spun both sabers in her hands, "Oh but she did. Master Kreia viewed the Force like some uncaring, insidious god that uses the lives of sentients as pawns in a pernicious game of balances. While I don't do that far I do understand that both Jedi and Sith are by their nature forces of change."

"What are you getting at," Bastila growled her patience having worn out.

"The galaxy needs peace," Revan stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "it needs a break from the insanity both the Jedi and Sith have forced upon it," she let that hang in the air and watched with a satisfied on her face as understanding finally dawned upon Bastila.

"You-you intend to destroy them both," Bastila stammered her eyes wide, "the Jedi and Sith. You never intended… to create… a Sith Empire did you? We're… all just what… tools in some grand game?"

"Exactly," Revan said and Bastila snarled as shock gave way to anger and the young woman charged her blood-shine double-bladed saber twirling in deadly arcs.

Bring her blades up Revan effortlessly deflected Bastila's attack, side stepping and letting the young woman's momentum to cause her to stumble and fall. The fallen Jedi tumbled to the ground crying out in embarrassment as she landed on her face. Bastila lashed out in anger as she spun and throw a powerful Force blast. Revan saw it coming and threw up her own shield to block Bastila's attack. Rising quickly to her feet Bastila attacked swiftly and passionately with her double-bladed saber.

Like any practitioner of Makashi Revan despised the double-bladed lightsaber and those who wielded it. She viewed it as a clumsy weapon more fit for a brute than a proper swordsman. The saberstaff was to a degree the least precise of all lightsaber designs as the extra blade length severely limited the options the wielder could use. The second blade rendered many positions and movements impossible to execute, or required the wielder to twist themselves awkwardly around the weapon to do so. Many techniques required the user to perform elaborate flourishes and ridiculous acrobatics in order to move the staff around their body, leaving them open, and any sort of fighting method that focused on power or penetration was difficult to apply. Also, the enlarged hilt common to most double-bladed lightsabers presented a large target, difficult to defend.

And perhaps most damming of all, it wasn't even that hard to learn to defend against. An inexperienced swordsman might be caught off guard by the strange weapon as the mind attempted to view the two blades as two separate weapons doubling the possible number of attacks. However a veteran fighter like Revan immediately knew that if you knew where one blade was you also knew where the other was.

Bastila launched into a flurry of attacks assisted by Force enhanced acrobatics. Revan like the master she was dodged or defected all of the fallen Jedi's attacks, biding her time and waiting for the right moment to strike.

After another strike Bastila launched into a high somersaulting jump. Revan saw her open and with a flick of her wrist cut Bastila's saberstraff in two. Jutting her hand out Revan lashed out with the Force. Bastila managed to raise a shield for protection but it didn't last long against the kind of power Revan could dish out.

Bastila held her shield for several long seconds before it finally fell and she was thrown with tremendous force into the wall, her body making a sick 'thunk' as it struck the unforgiving metal. Returning her sabers to her belt Revan sighed, "I'm sorry," and really meant it. Unfortunately Bastila was just too dangerous to be left alive. Razing her right hand Revan unleashed a storm of blackened Force Lightning at the girl. This attack wasn't meant to torture as was so often the cause when it was used… she had made sure it was strong enough to kill.

"I'm sorry."

XXX

The roar of blaster fire filled the air as the Black Hand team let loose with their weapons, unleashing their own particular brand of hell. The team had fought their way tooth-in-nail through the Forge all the way to the Primary Energy Collection Node.

"Get that thing planted," Canderous growled his voice sounding metallic after being filtered through his helmet as he slapped a fresh power pack in his rifle. His team was on objective when they were attacked by Sith troopers and battle droids loyal to Malak. Kneeling Canderous squeezed off several shorts bursts from his rifle cutting down a few troopers. The nine other commandos quickly joined there fire with his, laying down a withering hail of murderous fire.

"It'll take several minutes to initialize the device sir," one of the two commandos setting the detonator called out over the din of battle.

"Take all the time you need corporal," Canderous growled sarcastically as he ducked down beneath cover as the enemy returned fire. The entrance to the room where the node was located was a natural bottleneck and Malak's men were paying dearly for it.

Frowning deeply beneath his helmet Canderous marveled at the apparent stupidity of Malak's men. It had been the same way when they were fighting there way here. He'd also been getting the same confusing reports from the other platoon leaders. These troopers just seemed to hurl themselves at his men with seemingly no regard for their own lives, in fact they behaved more like battle droids than Sith Marines.

Priming a grenade he cooked the seven second fuse for three second and threw it, "Frag out," he shouted and the grenade sailed through the air and then exploded killing a score of marines with lethal frag. But still they came.

The Force was something that Canderous never claimed to understand. He knew it existed and that was more or less it. However seeing what it could do… had done to these men made him wonder if it was all worth it. The only Jedi or Sith he'd ever seen in complete command was Revan; the others seemed to let it rule them. Revan had told him of her late master's views on the Force and honestly Canderous had to agree with her.

Suddenly Canderous was aware of another body that landed next to him, "we're good sir," the corporal shouted after firing a burst from his rifle, "though I'd rather not stick around with the bomb!"

"Agreed," Canderous replied wholeheartedly before shouting, "Fire and Advance," and the commandos did so, without much grumbling, rising up and assaulting forward. Canderous lunged forward shooting the renegade marines and droids with his weapon before bashing one droid's head in with the rifle butt.

Suddenly his side flared up in pain. Canderous growled and shifted destroying a droid with a burst of fire. Reaching down he noticed his armor was blistered where the bolt struck the armor. His side felt on fire but the armor wasn't compromised.

"Sir," the platoon sergeant said coming up to him after the fight died down, namely all the enemies were dead, "Daltro's team is pinned down at their objective and are requesting assistance."

"Very well… move out."

XXX

The clicking of boots on the metal floor echoed throughout the room as Revan confidently walked into the Command Observation Deck at the highest level of the Star Forge. She could she Malak even from the entrance way to the deck. Her former best friend and lover stood arms across his chest as he stared out into space.

Malak gave no indication that he noticed her presence as he continued to stare out into space. Revan look out beyond him and saw the frantic space battle that was taking place. Malak forces were being overwhelmed and dozens of ships had already surrendered.

"It's over Malak," Revan called out as she made her way up the stairs and stopped not ten meters from him. Despite herself Revan couldn't help the conflicting feelings that built up in her chest as she saw him again. A part of her still cared for him even if she no longer loved him, but another part hated him more than anything else in the universe at this moment.

Slowly the usurping Sith Lord turned to face her; his piercing sulfur eyes staring straight at her, "You made it," he said sounding tired, "I always knew you would. You're stronger than I ever thought and I thought I knew you better than anyone else ever did."

"Once you did," Revan admitted. She took several steps forward but stopped just outside of striking distance. There was something she had to know, "Why," she said her voice almost breaking as she dredged up painful memories, "Why would you betray me. I would have given you anything," as she continued her voice changed into a snarl, "and I don't believe for that this station," she spat out that word as a curse, "could come between what we had."

What Malak said next was amongst the most painful thing he could have ever said, "Maybe what we had wasn't as special as you thought."

"I don't believe that," she said quietly clenching her fists at her sides, "which brings me back to why?"

Malak took a deep breath, "It was a combination of things really. The Forge, my own desire for power and…," he paused looking thoughtfully at her, "after my injury," he continued rubbing his metal jaw, "I thought you would leave me and throw aside," before Revan could shout in indignation Malak interrupted, "it was foolish but the Forge could be most persuasive."

"Surrender," she said suddenly. Despite everything she didn't want to be forced to kill him.

Malak's first response was his echoing laughter the reverberated through the chamber, "I'm sorry Revan we both know it's gone too far to end like that," with that he drew his gilded saber from his belt, "it seems the Force is pushing us to a final confrontation where the winner will decide the fate of the galaxy. We can both try to avoid it but it is destiny."

"Damn destiny," Revan snarled, "I make my destiny and don't willingly submit to the whims of fate. I thought you above all people would know that," forcing herself to calm down she added, "you'll never beat me Malak, you never have."

Malak's eyes hardened and Revan could see his resolve stiffen and he ignited his lightsaber and blood-shine emerged from the emitter, "This time Revan I have an advantage," he said as he gestured to the tanks scattered about the room. Revan followed the gesture to where she saw a tank and in the tank was a suspended body in Jedi Robes.

"You may recognize them," Malak said his eyes dark, "They were on Dantooine when the academy fell. The Star Forge keeps them in a state between life and death while corrupting their power," with his eyes he smirked, "then on my command transfers that taint to me."

Revan grit her teeth angrily as she realized just what he had done. She had done terrible things in her life but she'd never destroyed someone's soul. Finally she reached up and undid the clasps that held her cape to her armor. As the armorweave silk cape fell puddling at her feet she reached down and removed her sabers from her belt, "This is your last chance Malak," she offered knowing that he would refuse. When he did refuse Revan ignited her own sabers, "So be it then."

Solemnly Revan raised her right hand saber in a Makashi salute while Malak shifted in his preformed form, Djem So also known as form V. They both regarded each other coolly waiting to see which one would make the first move. This was a different type of fight than either had ever been in before. They knew each other intimately; they knew every move, every action the other would take and they'd spared with each other hundreds of times.

This wasn't a fight between rival Sith Lords or Master and Apprentice. This was a fight between old lovers and former best friends. Malak struck first his impatience getting the best of him. Revan was careful not to catch the full force of Malak's blows as she knew from experience that he was far stronger than her. Revan's Makashi simply didn't produce the amount of kinetic energy to stand up directly Malak's Diem So. The greatest advantaged she had was she was a better swordsman and far quicker than him.

Malak surged with powerful attacks while Revan carefully dodged and deflected them while at the same time always looking for some advantage; but Malak was careful to avoid fully overcommitting and leaving himself vulnerable to counter-attack. Breaking apart they went back to circling one another. Revan purposely left several openings in her defenses but Malak recognized them for what they were and ignored them.

Revan felt the static in the air mere seconds before Malak unleashed a storm of Force Lightning. Gathering the Force to her she fought back and steams of black lightning explode from her fingertips. The lightning collided in a brilliant explosion of black and blue-white light as the two fought for control releasing more and more energy in an attempt to overpower the other.

Normally Revan was far stronger in the Force than Malak but with the power the Forge had stolen from the Jedi they stood on more even terms. Gritting her teeth Revan began to take small steps forward and Malak did the same. As they drew closer the lightning became more and more violent, striking out and scouring the metal around them until they were nearly touching.

Panting heavily with aching muscles Revan took that final step …. and the room exploded in in a burst of Dark-Side energy. Revan felt herself flying through the air and then before she could reacts she slammed into to the deck plate, sliding several inches before finally coming to a halt.

Struggling to breath Revan reached up and franticly fumbled for the release for her mask. Finding the release she activated it and tore the mask from her face before greedily gulping down air. The collision with the deck had knocked the air from her lungs. Slowly Revan got to her feet, nearly falling over once, blinking the stars from her eyes as she attempted to locate her sabers which she had lost during the explosion.

Under different circumstances she would have used the Force to locate her lightsabers but she couldn't suppress the rancor tap-dancing on her skull enough to concentrate. Reaching down to her right boot, miraculously without falling over, she pulled the Mandalorian iron stiletto from the boot. Stumbling forward Revan glanced around looking for Malak. It only took a few seconds to locate him lying unconscious behind a shattered railing and beneath one of the viewports which was spider-webbed with cracks from Malak's impact.

Revan collapsed at his side and while holding her dagger ready flipped him onto his back. As she did a painful grunt issue from Malak's electronic mouth. Revan almost immediately saw why; about a six inch piece of railing stuck out from his gut. Revan pressed her hand his wound and was rewarded with a hiss of pain. Pulling her hand back she frowned the blood was black which meant the bar had punctured the liver; he had about fifteen minutes before he died.

Setting the edge of dagger against Malak's throat she said, "Don't move."

Slowly Malak's eyes fluttered open and he coughed, a wet ragged sound, "So this is how it ends," he wheezed.

She felt her lip twitch he had other injuries than the obvious stomach wound, "You brought this down upon yourself."

He laughed slightly which only brought on another fit of coughs, "I wanted to be Lord of the Sith and Emperor of the Galaxy, but it appears it was not fated to be my destiny perhaps yours but never mine."

She felt a twinge of annoyance shoot through here at his remark, "I don't believe in fate or destiny," she growled pressing down on the dagger so it drew just the tiniest amount of blood, "if I am either one of those it is because I earned them with my blood, sweat and tears."

Closing his eyes he leaned his head back against the deck, "And so it ends as somehow I always knew it would… in utter darkness," then his eyes opened and a twinkle of amusement entered them, "at least I got to see your face again."

Hesitating for a few seconds she remove the dagger and slid it back into her boot before standing up and turning around, "Goodbye Malak," and with that she started walking towards the elevator.

"Wait," Malak called out, "make me a promise."

Revan extended her hands and called her sabers back to her and placing her on his belt. She considered her option as she extended her right hand again and called the Mask of Mandalore to her hand. For several seconds she studied the black and red mask and ran her finger over the scars. Once more Revan placed the mask upon her face. When it had fully extended she turned back, "Make it quick."

"Don't let this station long outlive me," he pleaded his voice sounding pained with every word he spoke, "if anything we had together… meant anything to you… you'll make me that promise."

Durning his little speech Revan had retrieved her cape and redid the clasps that held it onto her armor, "I promise," she said softly. Canderous and the other commando teams should have accomplished their mission. She didn't worry about them failing, Canderous like her didn't know how to fail.

And she left.

XXX

"I'm out," Canderous heard one of his men call. Without hesitating he pulled his last powerpack from his leg ammo pouch and tossed it to him.

"Make it count son," he called out as the man slammed the pack into his rifle and started shooting. The Commandos about fifty of them from the original sixty-five that landed were dug in around the hangar bay waiting for Revan to return.

Aiming down the sights of his rifle he squeezed off several rounds which blew off the heads of several battle droids. Ducking beneath his cover as the droids opened up on his and his men's' positions he cursed angrily. There were hundreds of battle droids both humanoid and not bearing down on them. The Forge was finally responding with the full mechanical might it was capable of mustering and was doing its best to grind them into dust.

Canderous heard had pained cry as one of his men went down crying out for a medic, "Damn," Canderous cursed, "Covering fire," he yelled as he rose up and fired his rifle. Sprinting over he grabbed the wounded commando by his belt and dragged him behind cover.

Grimacing at the wound he pulled his first aid get from his belt. The heavy round had punched through the obsidian armor, fusing some of it to the man's skin and digging about two inches into the man's side. With a growl Canderous sprayed a thin layer of kolto over the wound which would increase the body's ability to clot and stop the bleeding. Any more treatment would have to wait until they got back to the _Imperator_.

"I'll take it from here sir," one of the squad medics said crawling up next to him and pulling out his medical bag.

Canderous slapped the medic on the shoulder, "Make sure you do son," he shouted. Looking down he checked the ammo counter on his rifle and growled angrily as he saw he only had about two dozen shots left. Dashing back over to cover he fired until his rifle eventually clicked dry. Throwing the rifle away he pulled his side-arm and began blasting away.

Suddenly his visor darkened as the whole chamber lit up with a extraordinary bright light. Even the tint of his visor didn't fully shield him from the light and he had to squeeze his eyes tight to protect himself. When he finally opened his eyes he saw Revan stumbling through a field of smoking corpses

Slowly Canderous stood and gestured to two of his men. They promptly broke cover and warily moved out until they reached her and began to help support her. When she was close enough Canderous called out, "What happened?"

"Malak's dead," she said sounding tired.

Turning to his men Canderous shouted, "Alright boys mount-," he started but never finished. He didn't see the far off sniper who took aim, he never heard the shot and he never felt the bolt tear through his head.

XXX

"You can't do this Admiral," Carth shouted furiously, "You gave your word!"

The whole bridge had gone silent as the two senior officers stood one another down, "We are officers of the Republic, captain," she said stressing his rank, "it is our scared duty defend the Republic against all enemies, foreign and domestic," her voice was cold , hard and barely above a whisper.

"What point is there in defending a state without any honor," he countered, "if we so causally betray our promises?"

"You think they would hesitate to do the same," Dodonna spoke angrily.

"I thought we were supposed to be better than the Sith," Carth reasoned his voice raising a few levels so the rest of the bridge crew could hear him.

"Revan cannot be allowed to reunite the Sith under her banner," she growled poking him in the chest with her index finger, "if we do there'll be no stopping her from destroying what's left of the republic."

"That's why're here," he said not backing down one bit, "To make sure that the Republic has a future. Even if Revan died," he stressed the 'if' part, "the Sith would certainly destroy us in revenge before turning on each other. She can control them others can't."

"I gave you an order captain," the Republic Fleet admiral snarled, "I expect you to follow it."

Carth schooled his face and straighten up, "I cannot in good conscience follow that order or can I allow anyone else to carry it out."

"That's too far captain," Dodonna said her eyes glaring, "Sergeant Gibbs," she called out for the Marine detail commander, "place Captain Onasi under arrest." Several long seconds past and no one did anything. Dodonna glared at them but they merely averted their eyes and said nothing.

Carth nearly sighed in relief when the crew seemed to refuse the admiral's order, "Admiral," he said solemnly, "I'm relieving you of your command… and I'll need your sidearm."

"Sure," she said her voice full of contempt and drew her blaster faster than Carth would have thought possible and promptly shot him in the chest.

Carth stumbled back his hand going to his chest as he stumbled back against a console. Removing his hand he found it slick with blood. He looked up at the admiral in shock, his mouth working but no sound emerged. Carth slumped to the floor as his vision began to blacken around the edges from blood loss. Before he blacked out his last thought was that he was terrified that he would never see Revan again.

XXX

"I know T-3 this isn't good," Mission shouted as she starred at a computer-screen, "oh man oh man this isn't good," she repeated as she read the transmission from the _Courageous_ that she just decrypted. It read:

_From: Fleet Admiral Dodonna_

_(Classified TOP SECRET)_

_CAPTAIN'S EYES ONLY_

_All Republic ships. _

_On orders from Fleetcom we are to prevent Darth Revan from returning to her fleet. When the Sith lord's shuttle leaves the Star Forge our orders are to turn on the Sith, destroy Revan and as much as her fleet as possible before treating back to rally point Aurek. From there await further commands_

_Attack only on command from the Courageous_

_REPEAT_

_Attack only on command from the Courageous_

_Fleet Admiral Dodonna out_

The droid beeped angrily and its head twirled as it. Mission clenched her first angrily and said, "I know that bitch. I can't believe…," she trailed off, "we need to tell Jaster."

Mission ran over to the comm button but only got static. The last blast that struck the Honor Bound must have knocked out communications between her quarters, which was loaded to the brim with the best encrypt/decrypt equipment that in the galaxy, and the bridge.

"Crap, crap, crap," Mission repeated as she downloaded the transmission to a datapad, "keep an eye out for any more communications from the Admiral bitchy or anyone else."

She only heard part of the droids reply as she bolted from room and towards the elevator at the end of the hallway. Sliding into the elevator she slammed the button to bring the elevator to the bridge. Silently she thanked whatever higher powers there was that Jaster and Revan had given her quarters at the base of the conning tower, a short elevator away from the bridge.

Mission impatiently tapped her foot against the floor waiting until the elevator arrived at its destination. When it finally did she didn't even wait for the door to fully open before she rushed out making a b-line straight to the blast doors protecting the bridge.

However one of the two guards raised his hand while the other raised it rifle, not quite pointing it at her, "Whoa," the first guard snapped, "no one's allowed on the bridge once battle's started."

"Listen," Mission snarled, surprising herself at the level of command in her voice. All that time with Revan must have paid off. Holding up the datapad she continued, "General Jaster needs this information," and before he could argue she closed the distance and got right up into his personal space, "you know who my mother is right?"

The first guard looked at the second before nodding.

"Well my mother, your Master is in danger," she said poking him in his armored chest, "you don't want to get in my way," she held her breath in suspense and waited to see if her threat took root. When the guard finally nodded she let out the breath she hadn't known she was holding.

He lifted his hand to his helmet and moments later turned around and punched a twelve digit code into a pad while the other guard did the same. After a few seconds the blast doors slid open and Mission straightened her uniform remembering what Jaster had taught her about decorum.

"Mission," Jaster said walking towards a somewhat annoyed look on his, "what are you doing here?"

Mission held out the datapad. Briefly she glanced out the window and saw the Republic fleet on their flank. The _Honor Bound_ was on the right flank of the Sith center and was the closest ship to the Republic vessels, "Dodonna's betrayed us she's planning to-"

She didn't finish the sentence as the bridge exploded from a salvo of heavy turbolaser shots. Mission was thrown to the ground from the blast and found herself screaming in fright. It took several seconds for the emergency shields to activate to hold in the atmosphere and in that time Mission watched in horror as several of the crew were sucked into space.

With the shields up Mission crawled along the deck as the damage control teams rushed in to tend to the wounded, control of the ships would have already transferred to the secondary bridge in the middle of the ship. Coming up to the unmoving body of her new uncle she grabbed his arm and shook, "Jaster get up… get up please," she croaked tears flowing down her cheeks, but she knew that all her pleading would be for nothing as she saw his head laying at an unnatural angle.

Suddenly she felt two arms and the unfeeling hardness of durasteel as she was picked and held against someone's chest, "Milady we need to get you off the bridge!"

"No let me go," she shouted as she thrashed about in the soldiers arms but for her own good the trooper didn't pay any attention to her and dragged her off the bridge.

XXX

Revan couldn't believe her eyes, she'd been betrayed… again. She'd nearly been killed when the Republic turned on them and would have if it hadn't been for a warning from the Force and the skill of the shuttle's pilot.

Her greatest fear was the Carth had betrayed her as well if that was the case… she didn't think she could handle it if that was the case. She shook her head as her hand went to her chest were Carth's ring was, he loved her and would never been part of this. That itself led to a greater problem what would Dodonna do to him?

She watched with building rage and frustration as the Republic fleet wheeled to the left and slammed into her fleet's right flank. She clenched her fist as she saw the bridge of the _Honor Bound _was in flames and her heart stopped beating for a second out of fear for her brother and Mission.

For all her bitchiness Dodonna was no fool. If her ships struck hard enough and kept at it they could very well roll up a good part of her line before the Sith Fleet could react. But the Republic Admiral had overlooked one detail… Malak's fleet. Though the back bone of that fleet had been broken they still had enough ships in play to be a factor.

"Pilot," she said resting her left hand on his right shoulder, "open up a comm to the _Imperator_ and tell them to patch me through Varko."

The pilot nodded and opened a comm channel. After a few seconds the pilot said, "You're good," then he slammed down on the stick sending the shuttle into a dive just in time to avoid a turbolaser shot.

"Keep your eyes peeled," she said drily to the pilot before turning to the comm, "Varko, you old son of a bitch I know you're listening. You're at a crossroads Malak is dead and the Star Forge destroyed. Help me now and I'll forgive your and your officer's treason and let you retire in peace otherwise…" she trailed off leaving what she would do to him up to his imagination.

It took almost thirty seconds for Malak's former admiral to respond, "You have a deal Lord Revan."

Revan nodded satisfied with Varko's answer. She took a long look at glimmer of steel that was the _Courageous _while she would have like to believe the Republic would honor its word, but she wasn't a fool she had contingency plan in place. Opening a tight beam comm channel she spoke softly into her mask's speaker, "Gizka in the Nest."

XXX

In the droid storage bay on the_ Courageous_ HK-47 unfolded from his storage position and quickly scanned the area. If the droid could have frowned it would have. Revan had ordered it to be painted in a uniform silver color to blend in with the rest of protocol droids that the _Courageous_ like all Republic Capital ships kept on board to deal with any diplomatic problems that may arise.

The assassin droid of course understood why it had been necessary but that didn't mean he didn't miss the blood stained copper color he grown so accustomed too. Briefly the droid paused as the mission parameters were uploaded from its backup system. His primary objectives were to eliminate Fleet Admiral Dodonna and secure Captain Onasi.

Again if the assassin droid could have frowned it would have. He didn't like the Republic captain because in his artificial mind he believed that captain made his mistress soft. However it was not the droid's place to decide who his mistress chose as her reproductive partner.

The assassin droid quickly hacked the door control and exited the bay, after all who would have expected that the protocol droids would need to be kept in instead of keeping intruders out. Moving at an even pace the droid headed to the officers mess, which was deserted because of the battle, and a quickly made a cup of tea.

The tea was a cover in order to get him onto the bridge without too much confrontation. Mimicking the overly cheerful demeanor of a standard protocol droid HK waddled through the ship until he came to the blast doors protecting the bridge.

The two marines guarding the door looked at one another strangely when they saw the tea carrying droid, "For the Admiral," HK said with fax cheer in his voice and dropping his usual pretext.

"Damn that bitch is crazy," the first marine said as he turned to type his access code into the pad.

"You're telling me," the second said as she did the same, "first she shoots the captain then then orders tea."

Revan wouldn't like that, HK mused as he processed the data. Though if the captain died he'd love to see what she did to the droid. The droid's circuits warmed at the thought of the vengeance she would wreak on the Republic. Still the droid would follow his orders and do all within his power to save him.

When the marines finished inputting here codes HK, without hesitation, dropped the tea and while they were still turned lashed out at the first marine and effortlessly broke his neck. Before the second marine could raise her sub-machine gun or even scream HK raised his left arm and there was a small crack as a miniature mass accelerator cannon fired a marble sized piece of durasteel at nearly one-half the speed of light. The unfortunately woman's head exploded and her body slumped to the ground her blood mixing with the spilt tea.

Kneeling down HK grabbed the first marines sub machine holding it with his right hand before taking the second in his left. Holding both weapons at hip level he turned to face the blast door as it slowly began to open.

"What the-" one of the two marine guards on the inside of the bridge shouted as he saw the gun tooting droid before he promptly cut off as the droid blasted him.

"Witty Remark: Say hello to my little friends," HK intoned as it advanced sensors quickly locked and prioritized targets. The droid's appropriated weapons opened up in a hail of ruby red bolts that raked the room. The crew scrambled for cover but less than a fifth made it and because HK purposely targeted those who were assigned weapons none of them were armed.

Stalking forward its eyes glowing with pleasure at the carnage the droid systemically hunted down and executed all but one of the surviving members of the bridge crew. The terrified crewman lunged for one of the fallen officers' weapons but HK stomped down on his right outstretched hand shattering the bones.

The poor crewman balled incoherently in pain as HK ground his Mandalorian Iron laced durasteel heel, "Threatening Ultimatum: If the meatbag does not supply me with the location of Captain Carth Onasi aforementioned meatbag with suffer an excruciatingly painful death via evisceration."

The man's eyes nearly bulged from its sockets, "He's in the primary med bay," he hissed in fear and pain, "you'll let me go now right," he said pitifully hopeful.

"Disappointing remark: No," and HK shot him dead. With that settled HK quickly located the helmsmen's station and after removing what was left of the helmsmen sat down in the chair. Mechanical fingers flying over the station he quickly locked in a collision course with the nearest Republic Cruiser and sounded the collision alarm klaxon.

As the alarm blared HK removed himself from the chair and took several steps back and shot the console ensuring that it couldn't be changed from here. As he made to leave the bridge he noticed the still form of Fleet Admiral Dodonna. He paused and committed the picture to his memory banks incase Revan wanted proof that she was dead.

Leaving the blasters behind HK-47 raced out past the crowd of crewmen streaming to the escape pods and onto the deck towards the primary med bay which was thankfully on the same deck as the bridge. HK once again in the role of a protocol droid entered the Med bay and saw Captain Onasi lying unconscious with a wicked blaster wound in a medical contentment pod as the doctor and nurses franticly tried to get him ready to move.

HK walked rapidly up to the single marine guarding the pod and before the man could react, crushed his windpipe and grabbed his weapon. As the marine suffocated on the ground HK pointed the weapon at the medical team, "Threatening Statement: Move Captain Onasi to the command level escape pod… the admiral will no longer need it. Warning: if this man dies in transit Lord Revan will be most displeased and the brunt of her displeasure will fall upon you."

If the threat of assassin droid didn't do it than the thought of a vengeful Dark Lord of the Sith was enough to get the doctor and nurses moving

XXX

Revan watched, safely from the bridge of the _Imperator_, as the_ Courageous_ slammed into another Cruiser and they both exploded in a thermonuclear explosion. The tide had most certainly turned. The reunited Sith struck hard with a vengeance against the Republic fleet and surrounded it.

She took in the sight of the carnage the three fleets had wreaked and wondered if it all was worth it. Tens of thousands of men, women and aliens had died today. Canderous and her brother were dead and she had no idea if Carth, the father of her unborn child was still even alive.

"Milord," the sensor officer called interrupting her thoughts, "we have a high level clearance code from a Republic command level escape pod. It's requesting permission to land."

"Granted," Revan barked as she turned and headed to the elevator, "Marks you have the bridge." Stepping foot in the elevator she headed for the main hanger bay. The ride seemed to take an absurdly long time to get to where she was going.

"Milord," her comm crackled to life, "I'd thought you'd like to know that a full medical trauma team was requested and are on route to the pod," Captain Marks voice said solemnly.

Revan froze her heart clenching in her chest, "For whom," she said barely controlling her voice.

"Captain Onasi," the Marks said though it sounded like it was the last thing he wanted to say, "I'm sure he's-," but Revan cut off the comm before he finished.

When the door slid open Revan bolted from the elevator across the cavernous hanger bay and towards the escape pod. As she approached she saw swarms of doctors and nurses around a medical pod . Pushing the fear she felt down she slowed to a more dignified pace and roared, "What's going on here!"

The marines, doctors and support staff jumped in fright before one, with a Republic uniform under his lab coat, came up to her looking slightly nervous, "Captain Onasi was shot at point blank with a DH-07 pistol in the stomach."

"That's the standard issue Republic side-arm," Revan growled, "who'd," she started but paused as she ventured a guess, "it was Dodonna wasn't it." The doctor nodded and continued with his diagnosis. As he did Revan clenched her hand so hard she felt like the bones in her hand were going to break, "He'll be fine right. He's gonna recover," she demanded.

The doctor cast a long nervous look as the medical capsule was dragged off, "I'm afraid not… his injuries are severe, very severe. The best we can do is make him comforta-"

Before he hold finish the sentence Revan reached out faster than a lightning strike and hauled the doctor up by his collar so his face was inched from her mask, "Don't give me that," she snarled in rage and fear, "There has to be something you can do."

"I'm sorry," he said, "There's nothing I can do."

For a second the urge to cave the doctor's face in was very strong, but the urge faded and she let him go. She simply stood there as marines took the Republic personal off to the brig and the doctors and nurses rushed Carth… Carth's body to the med bay. It took every ounce of strength she had left to just stand there until the deck was cleared and she was alone. When her legs could hold her no more she collapsed to the deck and wept.

XXX


	19. Chapter 18: Fall of the First Republic

**Chapter 18: The fall of the First Republic**

"Once more such victory and I saw be undone," Revan whispered to herself quoting an ancient military general named Phyrrhus who led the Echani in their first war with the Mandalorian clans. Phrrhus had won an enormous victory over the Mandalorians but he had suffered irreplaceable casualties especially among his most seasoned and veteran soldiers, officers and commanders. Though the Mandalorians had suffered similar losses they could replace their casualties and then some while the Echani could not. In fact it was proven. A few years later, the Mandalorians returned with an army five times greater than the army Phyrrus commanded and uttered destroyed him.

While Revan's military losses were replaceable she had lost that which she held most dear to her heart. She had lost her brother and one of her most talented generals whose council she would desperately miss. She had lost Canderous one of her dearest friends and staunchest supporters. And perhaps most damaging of all she had lost Carth her fiancé, lover and father of her unborn son. One more such victory and she would be undone.

"Milord we'll be emerging from hyperspace shortly and I assumed to like to be one the bridge," her flag captain Marks said over the comm.

"I'll be right there," Revan said wiping the tears from her face before taking up the Mask of Mandalore once more. She'd cried enough she reckoned as she summoned her resolve. Today was the day she'd take her final revenge and Coruscant would fall.

Revan stood and left her quarters heading to the lift that would take her to the bridge. It had taken two months for Revan and her fleets to overrun the inner-rim and the core. One by one long standing holdouts like Kuat, Corellia, Corulag and Alderaan surrendered rather than face the Dark Lord without the Republic Fleet to protect them.

Reaching the bridge Revan took her position at the front from where she could most easily give commands. Even though her final victory was so close she could reach out and touch it, it didn't mean it was assured. Coruscant was still the most heavily defended planet and all that was left of the Republic Fleet was gathered for their final stand.

Conventional military wisdom stated that the only way to take a fortified system was to start at the edge and slowly work your way towards the center, clearing every planet and stations as you went. Then you had to lay siege to the planet itself until you either overwhelmed the planetary shield or starved the enemy into submission. To start anywhere else risked being caught between the planetary shield and defenses and the enemy fleet.

Today, Revan mused, she would break with conventional wisdom once more. Suddenly the stars outside the viewport delongated and the enormous silver orb that was Coruscant appeared. All hell was about to break loose.

The massive Sith Fleet had exited hyperspace between the planet and the defending Republic Fleet. While normally this position would have been little better than collective suicide Revan, like always, had an ace up her sleeve. Ever since the war began she'd been preparing for this day. Reinhardt and her intelligence branches had been recruiting disaffected Republic officers and carefully inserting commando teams on planet. Their objective was to neutralize the Republic planetary shield and surface-to-space cannons protecting the Senate District of Coruscant.

Five hours before the Fleet was set attack the order had gone out for the commandos and agents to act to prepare the way. Now Revan noted with immense satisfaction that the shield over the Senate District had fallen and no anit-ship fire rose to meet them.

Through the gap in the shield poured several cruisers and scores of Sith fighters, bombers and dropships. The cruisers, fighters and bombers began to target and destroy the surface-to-space and surface-to-air weapon emplacements which had been painted by commando teams. The dropships began to land focusing around the Senate Hall, 500 Republica and the Jedi Temple itself.

While all this was going on the Sith Fleet took up a defensive formation around the gap as the Republic Fleet, which had been on the outer edge of the system, headed back at full speed toward their beleaguered capital.

Revan handed command of the _Imperator_ over to her flag captain and headed for the hanger bay where her shuttle waited to take her down to Coruscant's surface. Captain Marks was more than capable of bleeding the Republic Fleet dry as they were forced to leave their strong defensive positions to assault the Sith.

Minutes later she climbed into her shuttle and gave the command to take her to the Jedi Temple. The time of reckoning for the Jedi had come. From the shuttle Revan watched the sprawling cityscape of the Senate District grow in the viewport. The once gleaming towers of Coruscant were now marred by the war she had brought to them.

Within minutes the shuttle had landed at the bottom of the enormous stair which led to the entrance to the Jedi Temple. As the ramp lowered Revan walked down and for the first time in years set foot on the surface or Coruscant. A high-pitched whine issued overhead and Revan looked up and saw a Republic Aurek-class tactical strikefighter careen out of control as it was struck by the laser cannons of a Sith Interceptor. The Republic fighter spun through the air, its side on fire as it crashed into one of the aforementioned gleaming towers.

Pulling her gaze from the fire Revan began the arduous journey up the Temples towering stairway, alone. She was going home. It didn't feel as she expected it would Revan mused as she climbed upward. She had expected to be feeling the thrill of victory, of triumph over her enemies, but instead as she felt a profound sense of… loss.

As she reached the top she noticed that the four magnificent marble statues of the "Four Masters," the Jedi who founded the Jedi Order and whose stone gaze had watched over generations of Jedi. These once proud figures laid broken and shattered. One of the statues' head which had been separated from its body seemed to glare at her and Revan felt another emotion she was not used to feeling… guilt.

Passing through the intricately hand carved colonnades Revan passed into the Jedi Temple proper. The entrance to the Jedi's Temple was littered with the corpses of Light and Dark Jedi, Temple Security Forces, Sith troopers and Black Hand shock troopers who'd fallen in the savage battle for the Temple's entrance.

As she crossed through the pile of bodies she stopped suddenly as she recognized one of the faces among the fallen… it was Jolee Bindo one of her brief companions when she was regaining her memory and hunting for the Star Forge.

The old man lay surrounded by a horde of bodies proving that at least he didn't go down quietly. Revan stood for the briefest seconds before kneeling and closing the old Jedi's eyes. He deserved that respect at least; he'd saved her life once.

Revan snapped her head up as she heard the nasally sound of Blastech weapons fire echoing through the chamber. She frowned beneath her mask. The fire sounding as if was coming from the direction of the tower on the southwestern side of the temple. Briefly Revan considered heading to help, but decided against it. She had more important tasks ahead of her in the central spire and could afford to be sidetracked from her primary objective, the Central Spire and the Jedi High Council Chambers.

Moving forward through the Great Hall Revan came upon what was once known as the Gate of Heroes. The gate was a magnificently designed piece of art that told of the Jedi's numerous victories over the Sith and others throughout their history. Now sadly like the Order itself the door was fractured, splintered and scarred with thermal scarring from where her troops had forced their way in.

Stepping over the body of a Black Hand trooper Revan passed through the ruined gateway and into the hall which led to the Central Spire and the High Council Chambers itself. This base of the tower contained a large training room where the most basic lessons of the Order were taught. Against the far back wall was the turbo-lift that would take her where she needed to go.

As Revan entered the massive training room the first thing she began aware of was the hiss of two lightsabers clashing against one another. Following the sound Revan saw a Jedi and a Dark Jedi engaged in a brutal mêlée. The Jedi so far had had the better luck as the dismembered forms of two other Dark Jedi laid at her feet.

With a tight smile that quickly faded Revan recognized the Jedi as Juhani , another of the three Jedi who aided her on her quest. Revan dropped her hand to her side internally debating whether to help her or not, but that decision was taken from her hands as Juhani struck down the surviving Dark Jedi.

Sensing her the Cathar Jedi wiped the sweat from her brow and raised her saber in defense, "Revan," Juhani hissed breathlessly as tears stained her cheeks, "traitor you brought this upon us! How could you… I can't believe I called you friend!"

Revan tilted her head noticing that Juhani was heavily favoring her left leg. Even without the injury the Cathar still wasn't a match for her… no living Jedi was, "I don't want to fight you Juhani," she said firmly, "step aside and you can live."

Juhani ground her predator's teeth together and Revan saw her glance at her fallen comrades, "I can't do that Revan… Master Martel gave us… me orders to defend the lift."

"Do you really want to die," Revan her voice soft and pleading, "for him? You're fighting a lost battle Juhani. I've won. Throw down you blade and surrender… you can't possibly win against me. I've… killed a lot of old friends and don't want to add you to that list."

"A Jedi doesn't fear death," the Juhani said seeming to draw strength from her words. Revan only had a split second of warning before she threw a powerful wave of the Force at her.

Revan threw up her shields blocking the wave and leapt to the side just in time to avoid Juhani's cerulean blade. Revan cursed angrily and drew her own saber. Any compunction Revan had attacking a former comrade was gone; Juhani had cast the first stone. With deadly elegance Revan attacked her opponent focusing on her weak left flank.

To her credit Juhani fought valiantly but in the end the fresh, more powerful and more skilled fighter one. Revan stabbed Juhani in the right thigh with her left and spun circling around her and with one smooth movement took her head.

Revan paused as she watched Juhani's head roll away from her body. One more death on her conscious she mused… though in the grand scheme what was one more. All she could do was ensure all the lives this war had cost meant something in the end.

Returning her sabers to her belt she stepped foot inside the turbo-lift and slapped the control panel… nothing happened. Revan frowned and again pressed the button on the control panel and again nothing happened, they'd cut the power. Not really surprising as she thought of it, but nonetheless she sighed. Pulling her right and saber from her belt she cut a Revan-sized whole in the ceiling. She had a long climb ahead of her.

XXX

Martel Charel the Grand Master of the Jedi Order sat in his council chair staring out from the tallest room, the highest point on Coruscant in fact, overlooking the whole of the Capital City. He'd never wanted to be Grand Master he raged silently as he took long draft from his flask.

He cursed Revan for murdering Nomi Sunrider the former Grand Master and her daughter Vima. Nomi had been more of a leader than he'd ever been and if she had still been alive then maybe this war could have gone differently.

Martel had been elevated to the position of Grand Master because he was a warrior and that was what the Order thought they needed. He had tried, tried his hardest but Revan was just better than he was. He chuckled slightly; he remembered when Revan first came to the Jedi Temple. He was skeptical when Kreia brought the twelve year old Mandalorian girl to be trained as a Jedi. She, however, had proven his assumptions wrong. She'd had excelled beyond all expectation and within a few years even he was no longer assured of victory when they dueled… and he had been the temple's swordmaster.

Ironically if Revan hadn't disobeyed the council and went to war against the Mandalorians than perhaps she would have been Nomi's successor and become Grand Master instead of him. Now he was sitting in his chair waiting for her to come and complete the destruction of his beloved Jedi Order.

He rolled his saber in his hands and took another sip from his flask before standing up. How had it come to this? How had the Jedi fallen so far in such a short time? They'd gone from the zenith of power to the brink of ultimate destruction. And it was under his watch that the Jedi would fall to ruin.

Steeling his courage the Grand Master prepared for what was to come. Perhaps if the Force was with him Revan would fall as he did and even in defeat the Order could still deal a moral blow against their hated foe.

XXX

Recently promoted Brigadier General Reinhardt Vankonis sat in his office onboard the recently refitted _Honor Bound_, actually it was Jaster's old office, thinking about the future of the Black Hand. While Jaster himself would prefer to be on the bridge directing his fleet; Reinhardt on the other hand preferred to let the fleet officers command naval engagements.

While he didn't mind the promotion, the pay raise and the office, high command wasn't his forte. He like any good intelligence officer didn't like attention and being the Commander General of the Black Hand was hardly so key.

At least Revan didn't intend of him to keep this position for too long. As long as Jaster had lived the Black Hand would also be under her control. While he was one of Revan's most trusted confidants he still wasn't kin… but Mission was. As soon the Twi'lek was ready he would turn command over to her and he would retreat once more into the shadows where he could operate to the fullest of his ability.

Taping a few keys he brought of the latest situation reports from the troops down on Coruscant smiling as he did. The advanced divisions had managed to secure their designated landing zones and reinforcements were arriving by the thousands.

He'd been one of Revan' earliest supporters in her 'revolution,' but it was still amazing to see all that they had accomplished since then. Not less than a month ago he had set foot, for the first time in years, on his home planet of Corulag and his ancestral estate. He'd seen his parent's graves and visited his surviving friends and old hangouts. And now the Republic was gasping its last desperate breaths as the Sith drove the tip of their sword straight into its corrupt, bloated heart.

"General," a voice says and it takes Reinhardt a second to realize that the voice is speaking to him, "can I come in," Mission said quietly.

The newly minted general rose ever mindful of protocol like the aristocrat was. While Mission had no formal military rank she was Revan's daughter and that counted for more than an official title, "Of course milady you're always welcome."

The blue Twi'lek girl entered the room somewhat sullenly … she still blamed herself for Jaster's death and had taken it quite hard when her knew uncle died. "It's Mission, General."

"Of course milady," Reinhardt intoned with a small smile.

Mission sighed heavily and tossed him an annoyed look causing the General to laugh. "How's the battle going," she said coming up behind him to get a peek at his terminal.

"Remarkably well," Reinhardt said pulling up the reports and the battle feed, "remarkably well."

XXX

With a final leap Revan was at the turbo-lift door, her legs apart at a ninety degree angle wedging herself in the shaft. Revan cursed as her muscles strained supporting her weight and the weight of her armor. Pulling one of her sabers she ignited it, the ruby red light illuminating the pitch black turbo-lift shaft. Using the Force she levitated the lit saber to the door and carefully began to cut. When she was finished Revan called the saber back to her hand and returned it to her belt before reaching out with the Force to give a tug on the door. With an eerie creek the door fell in and tumbled down the shaft making one hell of a racket as it did until it finally crashed against the lift.

Shifting her weight Revan threw herself forward through the doorway leading with her shoulder and rolling back to her feet in one smooth motion. Steeling her resolve Revan waved her hand using the Force to open the door and strode into the Council Chambers.

The chamber was just as opulent as she remembered. The stone floor was colored in the republican style of white, brown and gold. An ornate circular floral pattern expanded out in rings from the white washed stone monolith which stood proudly in the chamber's center.

"So here you are," Revan heard a familiar voice speak and it took her only a second to recognize that voice as belonging to the Grand Master of the Jedi Order.

"Here I am," Revan said sternly as the Grand Master regarded with an unbridled fire in his eyes.

The distinctive snap-hiss sounding of a activating saber filled the air as Martel ignited his gleaming silver saber, "We had such high hopes for you Revan," he snarled, "before you turned your back on the Order and betrayed and murdered your brothers and sisters."

"The Jedi were never my kin," she stated harshly and that was true. They had been comrades once upon a time, but never her kin. She had done her best to slaughter her kin in the Mandalorian Wars for a Republic she had realized that wasn't worth saving. She felt guilt for that not what she had done to the Jedi. In serving a corrupt regime that had brought this upon themselves.

"Treacherous bitch," he roared and beneath her mask Revan smirked. One of the earliest lessons the swordmaster had taught to his students was to never allow their temper to get the better of them. Yet she had gotten him to break one of his fundamental tenets before the duel had even started.

Revan called her sabers to her hands and brought the sabers up in an X catching the Grand Master's saber in the V of her crossed sabers. The sabers hissed and a tangy ozone stench filled the air as the Dark Lord and the Grand Master struggled against one another.

They broke their lock but quickly rejoined the fight, sabers clashing against one another. The swordmaster was skilled, by virtue of his job he must be, but like so many Jedi and Sith including Revan herself he had the habit of becoming a slave to form. Being so focused on attaining the perfection of their preferred style they would leave themselves open to the unorthodox.

And that was just what Revan did, resort to the unorthodox. When they locked sabers again Revan threw her head forward slamming her masked face against the Jedi Grand Master's. She felt Martel's nose crack under the blow. Know she was in to close to effectively use her sabers she dropped them and struck out at the Grand Master with her armored fists knocking his saber from his hands.

If there was one glaring hole in the Jedi's martial training it was their unarmed combat skills. Revan, however had been trained by both the Mandalorians and the Echani in the martial arts that when combined created an odd if effective blend of the brutal and elegant.

With a powerful haymaker from her right fist Revan struck Martel causing him to stagger back. Before he could recover she delivered two quick jabs, one to his kidneys and the other to his liver. The Grand Master doubled over and Revan brought her elbow down hard on the back to his head causing him to fall to the ground with a cry.

Ironically as she caused him to break one of his own rules she had broken one of hers… she allowed it to become personal. Flipping the Jedi over she straddled his waist and punched him in the face over and over again. In her mind the master of the Jedi had suddenly become every person in this Galaxy that she hated… Dodonna, Malak, Sunrider, her father. He was the focus of all the pain she had felt in her life. Their faces swam up before her and she struck just the harder until she finally became aware of a voice shouting in her ear.

"What," she snarled over the comm and the voice immediately went silent. Slowly she came back and the blood haze fell from her eyes and she saw Martel… or at least what was left of him. His face was a broken mess and brain matter oozed from a crack in his skull. Sitting back she slowly raised her hands and became aware that they were throbbing in pain.

"What," she said as she starred at her blood-soaked hands. She was sure some of the bones had been broken even through her gauntlets. That was confirmed when she tried to move them and was rewarded by a flash of pain.

"Milord we've captured the Senate building and the Supreme Chancellor," Lieutenant General Brooks the commander of the 14th Infantry Corps said proudly, "he's offered an unconditional surrender!"

"Accept it," she said standing. Though she kept her voice steady she nearly felt her knees give out and tears ran down her cheeks. It was over…the war at least was over.


	20. Epilogue: Imperatrix de Galactica

Epilogue **Imperatrix de Galactica**

"_And once more the Sith will rule Galaxy_**"**

_-Emperor Palpatine _

Coruscant was ablaze though this time not with weapons fire. A month ago the Dark Lord of the Sith, Autocrat of the Sith Empire Darth Revan had assaulted the city world that for over twenty-thousand years had served as the capital of the Galactic Republic and the proverbial center of the universe.

With Coruscant's fall the Jedi Civil War was ended as the Republic Senate and Supreme Chancellor announced the Galactic Republic's complete and unconditional surrender. The Sith Empire stood victorious leaving the Dark Lord Revan mistress of the galaxy.

Revan had set out to rebuild the damage her fleet and armies had done to her new capital, all the while preparing for what would be her coronation as Empress of the Sith Empire. In what a final insult to her old order the Jedi Knights the Dark Lord chose their Temple as her new palace from which she would rule.

Multitudes of ambassadors and heads of state flocked to Coruscant, some who had been Revan's longtime allies came to show and reaffirm their support to the soon-to-be Galactic Sovereign and some came to curry favor with their new master.

In the former quarters of the Grand Master of the Jedi Order, Revan made her home. On her plush new bed she laid naked freshly emerged from the refresher. Today was the day she would become Empress. It was a thought that should have filled her with joy but she felt very little. It had been that way since Carth had died during the battle for the Star Forge.

Sighing Revan resting her hands on her stomach rubbing over the little bump the signaled the growth of her son. She found herself wishing that Carth was still alive to meet his son when he was born. She felt tears wet her cheeks as she thought of the fact that he had never know she had been wit child.

Deciding that she no longer had anytime to feel sorry for herself, she sat up and slipped on a skin tight bodysuit. Standing up she made her way to her specially designed wardrobe. Waving a hand over it the doors slid open revealing her armor.

The black and red armor bore many scars of battle and had saved her life many times. Pulling her boots she put them on first then working her way up she donned the rest of her armor. Reaching in again she pulled out a simple black fiberweave cape and with a single quick movement flared it out behind her and brought it to her neck, clasping it with a golden chain.

Once the cape was secure she retrieved the only item still remaining in the wardrobe… the Mask of Mandalore. Reverently she ran a gauntleted thumb over the face of the mask before raising it to her face. The mask as always, once making contact with her face extended until it formed a helmet that connected with her suit creating a hermetic seal.

After taking a few deep breaths of filtered metallic tasting air she called her sabers to her hands and clipped them onto her belt. She doubted she'd needed them today, but then again better safe than dead. Gazing at the mirror Revan saw a tall imposing figure glaring back at her… good.

"How are you doing mother," Mission Vao, Revan's adoptive daughter said with a bittersweet smile on her face; she missed her would-be adoptive father as well. The orphan from Taris was dressed in in a deep blue dress made of the finest materials and befitting her status as Revan's daughter.

"I'm fine Mission," she said quietly as she took her daughter into her arms, "I just miss him."

"I do too," the girl said with tears streaming down her cheek.

"I've got to go," Revan stated. Turning she made her way to her door and it slid open revealing a full honor guard of her Black Hand personal guard fully assembled. They were dressed to kill… quite literally. Each of the Mandalorian guardsmen wore gleaming polished obsidian armor with stylish, but functional blaster rifles which included gilded bayonets.

The Captain of the Guard thumped his right hand over his heart and bowed low at the waist in salute, "My Lord we are ready to escort you to the Great Hall." Unlike the rest of the guards he didn't carry a rifle, only a gilded rapier hung from his belt

Three months ago she would have expected Canderous to be in this position but he like Carth was dead, having falling fighting of the Star Forge. Taking a deep breath she exhaled, "Leys not keep the galaxy waiting."

The captain barked out orders and the guard fell in silently forming two columns of four flanking the Sith Lord. While she didn't need the escort one thing she had learned was appearance was a powerful thing. When they reached the entrance to the Great Hall two more guardsmen saluted and pushed open the doors.

The Great Hall of the Jedi Temple as one could surmise by the name was very great. The Hall was over a hundred meters tall and large enough to fit a cruiser it had been used by the Jedi for everything from state dinners to grand melees. Now it would serve as the grounds for Revan's coronation.

As large as the hall was it was packed, filled with people ranging from planet dignitaries to military officer to carefully selected members of the press. Not hesitating even for an instinct Revan strode down the aisle her guard in tow.

Alongside the interior of the isle towards the end stood the Sith Lords of the Empire, six on either side. The Sith Lords stood hands clasped behind their backs. Some of the lords wore fanciful armor made of precious metals and inlaid with jewels while other wore the most obscenely expensive formal ware available. As she passed through the gauntlet she slowed catching each of the Sith Lords' gazes; a slight warning should they ever choose to cross her.

After the Sith Lords stood four color guard units in their finest dress uniforms, each barred the battle standard of the Sith Empire and the standard of their own military branch, Sith Army, Navy, Marines and the Black Hand.

Reaching the end of the aisle Revan took one look up at the raised dais and the throne that rested upon it. One step at a time Revan walked up the dais. Upon reaching the top she circled the throne tracing the back with her fingers. The throne was without decoration and instead made out of a single solid, sturdy piece of marble. Its bare stone was to symbolize Revan strength and yet her humility.

Circling back to the front she sat down upon the throne. As she did great cries rose from the crowd in support of the new Galactic Empress. Revan took a moment to appease her ego before rising up and signaled the crowd to quiet down:

"People of Coruscant, Citizens of all worlds," she started, "This war, the most destructive in our great history is over," the crowd cheered, "and the corrupt and self-serving Republic is no more. The Chancellors are no more. The Senate is no more. The Jedi are no more. We have a chance to create a lasting peace and I will not allow those who have died to have died in vain. We will have peace! We will be a galaxy more united and stronger than ever. Let us work together for a brighter future."

As Revan looked out over the crowd she realized that this was a new beginning not an end. She still had much work to do to prepare her empire for her son and to prepare for the next fine when it came. She didn't worry or fear. She could handle this. She was a Hero to the people of the Outer-Rim. She was the Savior of the Sith. She was the Conqueror of the Republic. She was a Villain to the Jedi. She was all these things and more… she was Empress of the Galaxy.

_**An excerpt from The Sith Empire by Lt. Commander Allison Dodonna deputy commander of Raithel Naval Academy**_

_With the formal surrender of the First Galactic Republic, the establishment of the Sith Empire as the only galactic government, and Darth Revan's coronation as Sith Empress her rise to power was complete. With the birth of her son whom she named Carth, rumors existed that she named the child after his father who was reported to be a Republic war hero who accompanied her during the year in which she was presumed to be dead, which unbeknownst to the rest of the empire set the foundations for her dynasty. _

_Revan's empire would enjoy relative peace and prosperity for fifteen years, except for the mopping up of a few republic holdouts. However on the eve of her son's fifteenth birthday Revan she proclaimed him Heir Apparent to her throne and then overnight she, along with her personal guard and her flagship disappeared along with significant portion of the Black Hand Fleet._

_After nearly six months without a word and the failure of two expeditions to find her, her son was crowned Emperor in her place. The Sith Emperor would rule peacefully for ten years until into the eleventh year of his reign reports reached Coruscant that an unknown armada had invaded the Outer Rim. That war fleet would herald the beginning of what would become known as the Second Great Sith War or alternatively the War of the Sith Emperors._

_The war would be comparatively short when compared to the Great Hyperspace War, the Great Sith War, the Mandalorian War or even the Jedi Civil War; but it consisted of some of the fiercest and bloodiest fighting in galactic history. Lasting a little over a year and never progressing beyond the Outer Rim the war saw a loss of over a billion lives and twenty percent of Emperor Skirta's military forces; while for the True Sith Empire it would end in debellation._

_The Galactic Emperor would proceed to devastate every world in the True Sith Empire ending with their capital of Dromund Kaas which would have the dubious honor of having its oceans boiled away, its forests reduced to cinders and all of its landmasses burnt away. The devastation to Dromund Kaas was so great that planet would never be able to support life again._

_Emperor Skirta would go on to rebuild the Outer-Rim. His popularity and heroics would allow him to enact another of his mother's plans to stabilize the empire; mainly to reduce the power Dark Force users, who by their nature were forces of change, had in the empire. Over the rest of his reign and the reign of his son the power the Sith Lords weld would be diminished and gradually replaced with secular authorizes like the Moffs._

_That said when they finally figured it out the Sith Lords weren't happy, as one might expect. Realizing that if they didn't act they would lose their power they attempted to rebel not realizing that they were playing directly into the emperor's hands. With the overwhelming support of the galactic populace and the military the Lords were rapidly subdued. While he was at it Revan's grandson didn't merely sever the power the Sith Lords had within the empire but completely destroyed the Sith Order. The end result was that the only trained Force-users left inside the Imperial Hierarchy were within the imperial family._

_The Empire would stand stable for nearly two-thousand years. It is perhaps fitting that the Sith Empire would not survive the death of its founder's bloodline. When the Emperor Claudius died childless and without any designated heirs the Empire was thrown into turmoil. As various Grand Moffs, Moffs, Field Marshals, and Fleet Admirals laid their claims upon the galactic throne, the Imperial Military took sides along existing sector and oversector boundaries the galaxy held its breath._

_The Sith Civil War, ironically it included no actual Sith, was one of the brutal affairs in history far out passing even the brutality of the Clone Wars. When the dust settled the galaxy laid in ruins and no single person was left in command. A dark age settled over the galaxy as no single government extended beyond a single sector and most not beyond their own system._

_It took nearly three hundred years before galactic civilization remerged into the form of the Second Galactic Republic; a republic that would last until it was brought down by the machinations of another Sith Lord named Sidious better known as Emperor Palpatine._

_Revan's legacy is hotly debated one. Generally military circles revere her as one of the greatest tactical and strategic masterminds in history; while others consider her a despot and a dictator in the same category as Xim and Palpatine. Whatever is said about her, without her Empire the galaxy might have fallen to the True Sith._

_Her legacy among the Mandalorians however his nothing less than spectacular. They consider her one of the greatest Mandalorians who ever lived. The name they gave her shows it… Mandalore the Great._


End file.
